Lewis Hamilton on three wheels and a series of punctures: five unforgettable races at Silverstone

The Silverstone circuit recently extended its contract with the FIA until 2034, providing the perfect opportunity to look back at five unforgettable races held at this iconic Formula 1 circuit.

The British Grand Prix has built a reputation for delivering some of the most unforgettable moments in the sport, and recent history proves why Silverstone remains a magnet for drama. As the circuit celebrated the final year of its initial agreement and secured a new contract until 2034, the track's tradition of surprises continues to grow.

A priest on the tarmac – 2003 On July 20, 2003, the excitement of the weekend took an unexpected turn. After Rubens Barrichello took pole position in qualifying, the race got off to a smooth start until lap 11, when an Irish priest appeared on the track waving placards on which he was reading the Bible. The cars were forced to slalom around him, prompting the FIA to interrupt the race at the end of the lap. Security guards evacuated the intruder and the race resumed. The event saw five different leaders, with Barrichello ultimately converting his pole position into victory for Ferrari, followed by Juan Pablo Montoya (Williams-BMW) and Kimi Räikkönen (McLaren-Mercedes) on the podium. The season ended with Michael Schumacher and Ferrari winning the world championship. Pirelli's puncture nightmare – 2013 The 2013 edition is less memorable for the usual battle between Mercedes and Red Bull than for a cascade of punctures. After a close duel in qualifying, which saw Lewis Hamilton take pole position ahead of his teammate Nico Rosberg, the race became chaotic on lap 9 when Hamilton's left rear tire shredded, forcing him into an unscheduled pit stop. Debris littered the track, and a safety car period ensued. Between laps 9 and 13, sixteen drivers made pit stops due to punctures, and a new wave of slow leaks kept the suspense going. Vettel, who had been leading since lap 10, retired on lap 40 due to a gearbox failure, which led to another safety car deployment. Rosberg took advantage of this to claim victory, while Mark Webber (Red Bull) and Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) completed the podium. Heroism on three wheels – 2020 Mercedes approached the 2020 British Grand Prix in a dominant position, with the W11 having already won the first three races of the season. Hamilton dominated both qualifying sessions and started from pole position, seemingly heading for an easy victory. However, a puncture on the final lap almost handed the win to Max Verstappen. Undeterred, Hamilton crossed the finish line on three wheels, beating the Red Bull driver by 5.856 seconds to claim his third consecutive victory at Silverstone.

Vettel's home victory – 2018 The 2018 showdown saw the two title contenders, Hamilton and Vettel, on equal footing. Hamilton took pole position, but an incident at the first corner saw him collide with Kimi Räikkönen and drop to the back of the field. After a series of overtakes and two safety car periods, the race came down to a duel at the end. Vettel, who had switched to soft tires during the last safety car period, overtook Valtteri Bottas at the final restart and held on to take the win, extending his championship lead to eight points over Hamilton, although the Briton would ultimately win the title.

Verstappen comes close – 2021 The 2021 season will be remembered for the fierce rivalry between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. While the British Grand Prix did not produce any major incidents, the tension it added to the championship set the stage for the dramatic finale that would unfold in Abu Dhabi later in the year.

A split-second contact at Copse transformed what had started as an exciting home duel into a decisive episode for the championship. After securing pole position for the sprint with the fastest time in qualifying, Lewis Hamilton was the favorite for the weekend, but Max Verstappen won the sprint and the front row for Sunday's Grand Prix. Both drivers got off to a good start, and Hamilton quickly attempted to overtake Verstappen. The Dutchman held his line, but when Hamilton dived inside, his front wheel grazed Verstappen's rear right tire. The contact sent Verstappen skidding into the gravel and then into the wall, immediately causing a red flag. After a 30-minute stoppage, the race resumed under the watchful eyes of the spectators. The stewards deemed Hamilton responsible and handed him a ten-second penalty. Despite the penalty, Hamilton crossed the finish line in first place, winning the British Grand Prix and reducing the championship gap to eight points behind Verstappen, who left Silverstone without scoring any points. This incident not only shook up the weekend's results, but also intensified the title fight as the season heads into its next decisive chapters.