March 29, 2024

British Grand Prix - Slipstreaming from The King

British Grand Prix – Slipstreaming from The King

The royal couple of the Netherlands could be wrapping up a state visit to Austria next week. Besides the local royal fans, Willem and Alexandra were probably cheered on by thousands of Dutch citizens. The Formula 1 Grand Prix at Spielberg on July 8 is the reason Dutch world champion Max Verstappen, 24, is a big crowd-puller from the Boulder State. Advance sales indicate that, for the first time in history, 300,000 fans could attend the race.

Sunday is long sold out, with only a few tickets remaining from previous days. If Spielberg breaks the 300,000 mark, you will be leading the way in terms of viewership for paid events in Austria, making Formula 1 a great event again after years of woes. The previous fan record dates back to 2014, when 220,000 fans welcomed the Premier League back to Styria. Since then, Formula 1 has gained worldwide interest. Last year’s season alone, including the insane final in Abu Dhabi, was watched by more than 1.5 billion viewers. This means Formula 1 is now in league with the Olympic Games, Champions League and World Cup.

The reasons for the exaggeration are easily explained. On the one hand, Formula 1 has attracted renewed interest due to exciting races, with the hit Netflix documentary series “Drive to Survive” playing a role. On the other hand, four-time Spielberg winner and world championship leader Verstappen is a reliable crowd-puller at the track for team owner Dietrich Matschitz, despite his own home race at Zandvoort. Finally, after two years in pandemic mode, fans are eager to get back into full swing.

Rain and chaos at Silverstone due to derailment

The excitement can be felt ahead of Sunday’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone – even if the weather dampens vision and mood a bit. Another good day for Valtteri Bottas. The Finn set Alfa Romeo’s fastest lap time in the rainy opening session. Disadvantage: Most teams left their cars in the garage, which is why the drivers could get almost no experience during this first practice session on Friday. Another reason was a skid by Canadian Lance Stroll. When the asphalt dried just before the finish, he scraped onto the gravel bed in the Aston Martin. The training was then stopped.

Only ten of the 20 pilots recorded at least one perfectly timed lap. Lewis Hamilton finished second behind Bottas for Mercedes. They were followed by Ferrari duo Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc and Mick Schumacher im Haas. World champion Verstappen did not complete a single lap under time limit. The first practice for the tenth race of the season on Sunday (4pm / ServeTV and Sky) gave no information. The Dutch player is currently at the top of the overall points table with a clear lead. He has already won six World Championship races this year. His Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez is ahead of Leclerc in second.

Demonstrators warned of a possible storm at the racetrack on Friday. Security forces alerted of possible protest action at the race track ahead of the Formula 1 guest show. Northamptonshire county officials said on Friday that there was strong evidence that a group of activists planned to disrupt the race and occupy the track. Police announced additional forces and elaborate operations.

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