The behind-the-scenes dramas at Silverstone failed to distract Lewis Hamilton, as he got his F1 championship challenge back on track with a dominant British GP win.
In a rain-soaked and incident-packed race, the McLaren ace kept his head to finish over a minute ahead of Nick Heidfeld’s BMW Sauber, while Honda’s Rubens Barrichello clinched the final podium place after an inspired drive.
Hamilton took the lead on lap five after passing team-mate and pole-sitter Heikki Kovalainen. The young Brit’s victory on home soil sees him tied at the top of the title table with Ferrari duo Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen.
The reigning champion had a lacklustre race, with a poor tyre choice relegating him to fourth. Team-mate Massa endured an even more miserable afternoon, spinning off the track five times before eventually finishing last.
With the championship so close, Ferrari will want to see a reversal in its fortunes for the German Grand Prix on 18 July.