Fresh from a tense race in Austria that saw the top three covered by just 1.9 seconds after 71 laps, it\u2019s time for a home race for many of the teams. With a huge crowd and historic venue providing the backdrop for the next round of the championship, there are plenty of questions about how the pecking order could look at Silverstone.<\/p>\n
Russell has momentum<\/p>\n
It has been far from a smooth 2026 for George Russell<\/a> so far, and what makes that so surprising is the fact that it certainly was a strong start to the year for the Mercedes<\/a> driver.<\/p>\n After an encouraging pre-season on his side of the garage, Russell hit the ground running in Melbourne to win from pole position, and backed that up with another win from pole in the Sprint in China. But then it all started to unravel.<\/p>\n A combination of misfortune, reliability issues and a more competitive field would have been challenging enough, but then there was also the stunning run that Kimi Antonelli<\/a> went on, and Russell arrived in Austria on the back foot somewhat. He responded in style, with pole position and a victory he had to work hard for, to take his second win of the season.<\/p>\n The timing couldn\u2019t be better, as Russell arrives at his home race as the most recent race winner, and having taken 28 points out of Antonelli\u2019s championship lead over the past two rounds. The Briton believes the Red Bull Ring isn\u2019t a track that particularly suits him but that Silverstone should be more to his liking, and he will be heading into the weekend with high expectations surrounding him.<\/p>\n Red Bull back in the mix<\/p>\n Red Bull<\/a>\u2019s achievements this season should not be underestimated. As a power unit manufacturer for the very first time, Laurent Mekies<\/a>\u2019 team have quickly ensured they remain part of the top four teams at the front of the field, and took a major step forward in Austria.<\/p>\n While there had been a podium apiece for Max Verstappen<\/a> and Isack Hadjar<\/a> prior to Red Bull\u2019s home race, Austria was the first time they were truly in the fight for victory with a car that appeared to be on a par with the Mercedes. A significant aerodynamic upgrade helped on that front, with Verstappen a threat for pole position before his Q3 crash, and then hunting down Russell through the race.<\/p>\n The Red Bull Ford Powertrains offering has been particularly impressive given it is the first power unit produced by that partnership, and Silverstone is likely to be a power-sensitive track, so with an improved car and strong engine, could it be a weekend that Red Bull are back on the top step?<\/p>\n Ferrari\u2019s up-and-down form<\/p>\n Regular readers of this feature will know that it was only seven days ago that I was highlighting Ferrari<\/a>\u2019s threat to Mercedes, following Lewis Hamilton<\/a>\u2019s win in Barcelona. Ferrari, too, had upgraded their car in recent weeks and made strides, but the Red Bull Ring emphasised a deficit in terms of power output.<\/p>\n There are aspects of Silverstone that are similar to Barcelona, but it\u2019s an even more power-hungry circuit, so it remains to be seen whether one aspect outweighs the other for Ferrari this coming weekend.<\/p>\n Even during a tricky weekend in Austria, however, Hamilton still managed to limit the damage from a championship perspective, losing just five points compared to Antonelli as he came home fifth.<\/p>\n Not that the seven-time World Champion has ever lacked for support at his home race, but arriving at Silverstone so soon after his special first win for Ferrari will only heighten excitement among his fans, and could add to the special atmosphere at a track that features a straight that carries Hamilton\u2019s name.<\/p>\n A massive crowd at a high-speed track<\/p>\n Speaking of the track, Silverstone has often been one of the drivers\u2019 favourites during the season, given the number of high-speed corners and changes of direction that allow them to push their machinery to its limits.<\/p>\n As aerodynamic efficiency has increased, so the balance has shifted to power unit performance, and it remains to be seen how that plays out under this year\u2019s regulations, but with a Sprint weekend ahead the teams are going to be learning throughout competitive sessions on every single day, too.<\/p>\n And they\u2019ll be doing so in front of one of the biggest crowds of the season, who always show up for a festival of racing in the British countryside. Silverstone becomes surrounded by campsites while all manner of extra entertainment is on offer when cars aren\u2019t running on track.<\/p>\n With F1 ACADEMY<\/a> joining Formula 3<\/a> and Formula 2<\/a> on the support card, it\u2019s the only time that all three will race alongside each other during the season, so there\u2019s certainly plenty of action to enjoy over the upcoming three days.<\/p>\n More Brits getting home support<\/p>\n As if there wasn\u2019t enough for the home fans to get excited about during the weekend, Silverstone will see no fewer than five drivers competing under a British flag.<\/p>\n On top of Russell and Hamilton, Lando Norris<\/a> will be looking to secure his first win of the season but also make it back-to-back victories at Silverstone. Norris arrives at his home race as defending champion, and is sure to have plenty of backing.<\/p>\n With Ollie Bearman<\/a> set for his second appearance at home in F1, Arvid Lindblad<\/a> also makes his debut as the only rookie on the grid this season. Lindblad arrives in good form after a top 10 finish in Austria made it four straight point-scoring weekends for the Racing Bulls<\/a> driver, and he\u2019ll have his eyes on adding to that tally.<\/p>\n