2015 F1 Round 9 British Grand Prix – Hamilton wins in rain, Vettel’s tyre timing helps him reach the podium

The British Grand Prix on July 5 ran for 52 laps. Hamilton won in changing weather in 1:31:27.729, with Rosberg second, 10.956 seconds behind, and Vettel third.

Starting from the second row, Massa surged into the lead, while Bottas also moved to the front of the field. An early collision involving Lotus and McLaren drivers brought out the safety car. After the restart, Hamilton tried to pass Massa but instead lost second place to Bottas.

Hamilton pitted for hard tyres on lap 19, ahead of Massa and Rosberg, who stopped on lap 20. Bottas pitted on lap 21. Hamilton emerged in the lead after the first round of stops.

Rain began to affect the circuit on lap 35. Räikkönen switched early to intermediates on lap 38, although conditions remained unsettled. Rosberg subsequently passed both Williams cars on the slippery track.

Hamilton timed his switch to intermediates on lap 43, with Vettel making the same choice on the same lap. Rosberg and both Williams drivers waited until lap 44. Hamilton consolidated his lead, while Vettel moved up to third.

Massa finished fourth, Bottas fifth and Kvyat sixth. Williams had briefly held the top two positions but ultimately lost out on a podium finish. Hülkenberg was seventh.

Räikkönen needed another set of intermediates in the rain and eventually finished eighth. Pérez was ninth and Alonso tenth, earning his first point of the 2015 season.

Nasr could not start after his car became stuck in sixth gear on the formation lap and was officially classified as DNS. Button, both Lotus drivers, both Toro Rosso drivers and Ricciardo retired after the start.