F1 British GP 2019: Hamilton victorious as Liberty ponder 2020 scheduling

Race draws strong figures on FTA but clashes prompt rethink on calendar.

Lewis Hamilton completed a record sixth British Grand Prix victory to mark a new chapter in his Silverstone story, and then hailed Formula One’s decision to extend its stay at the famous track until the end of the 2024 season.

The Briton didn’t let up in his push for a seventh championship title, and moves clear of Alain Prost and Jim Clark to record the most wins by an individual driver on his home circuit.

To add a cherry to his triumph, Hamilton recorded the fastest lap of the race right at the death, and with it secured an extra championship point, completing the day on top after starting behind his Mercedes teammate, Valtteri Bottas, in pole.

Elsewhere on the grid, Ferrari’s duo are still struggling to keep pace. While Charles Leclerc finished third behind Hamilton and Bottas, Sebastian Vettel slumped to 16th overall, after colliding with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who topped the podium in Austria two weeks earlier.

Meanwhile, Red Bull’s Pierre Gasly was able to capitalise on a collision between Vettel and his teammate to finish fourth – more than four seconds clear of Verstappen – and bridging what appears to be a gulf between the Mercedes and the rest of the pack.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, back, collides with Red Bull's Max Verstappen

Channel 4’s big day

On a Sunday that fans were spoilt for choice over what to watch, history was made in more ways than one.

As Hamilton stretched his lead at the top of the drivers’ championship, and secured a fastest lap, England’s cricket team were course for their first ever victory in a Cricket World Final, pulling in an 8.3 million peak audience across Channel 4, More4 and Sky Sports’ various outlets.

With the racing retained on Channel 4 for its duration, the coverage recorded a peak audience of 2.8 million viewers.

Overall, Channel 4 attracted 4.8 million peak audience for the final, which, combined with its coverage of the British Grand Prix, saw the broadcaster register an 11.5 per cent overnight share, its highest since the London 2012 Paralymipcs, based on minute-by-minute peaks. 

England's men's cricket team defeated New Zealand to clinch their first Cricket World Cup title

F1 to reschedule 2020 British GP to avoid Euro 2020 clash

Though a spectacular day for British sport – and broadcast records – widespread UK media reports suggest that Formula One is considering rescheduling next year’s British Grand Prix in a move to avoid another clash with the UK’s summer sporting highlights.

As it stands, the 2020 British Grand Prix will currently clash with the Euro 2020 final, which also takes place on 12th July, at Wembley Stadium in London.

Formula One bosses are reportedly set to speak with the series’ owners, Liberty Media, to avoid another conflict.

CEO Chase Carey said that F1 must 'preserve its historic venues' if it is to have a long-term future

New Silverstone contract among F1’s cheapest?

The 2020 edition of the British Grand Prix will be the first under Silverstone’s new five-year contract with Liberty, a deal that is now reportedly one of the cheapest on the circuit.

According to the Sports Business Journal, the British Grand Prix could be saving more than US$31 million on the previous deal that it opted out of in search of better terms.

In a turn of fortune, the agreement is said to be the first that will likely make the Grand Prix profitable, and could help expand facilities at the Northamptonshire race track.

The new deal appears to have spelled the end for the concept of hosting a street race in London. Motorsport UK chairman David Richard described the proposal as a “dead duck”.

What I don’t understand is why the organisers put the race on the same day as all these other big events. I really don’t understand it

Lewis Hamilton on the scheduling conflict that saw the British Grand Prix sharing airspace with the Wimbledon men’s final and the Cricket World Cup final.

The Big Picture

Lewis Hamilton crowd-surfs with fans after clinching a record sixth British Grand Prix title

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