2016 F1 Round 10 British Grand Prix – Hamilton wins after rain, Rosberg drops to third for radio breach

The 2016 British Grand Prix ran for 52 laps at Silverstone on July 10. Heavy rain before the race meant the whole field started on wet tyres. Hamilton took a home victory in 1:34:55.831. Verstappen was ultimately second, while Rosberg crossed the line second but dropped to third after a post-race 10-second penalty.

Archive photograph of the grid at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix on July 10, 2016.

The rain meant the first five laps were completed behind the safety car before normal racing began. As the surface dried, teams switched from full wets to intermediates and then to slicks after roughly a third of the race. Strategies continued to change with the available grip.

Wehrlein retired on lap seven after standing water sent his car out of control, triggering a virtual safety car. Hamilton maintained the lead as Rosberg initially struggled to close in on the slippery track. Verstappen moved closer and subsequently took second from Rosberg.

Rosberg kept chasing the Red Bull until he passed at Stowe on lap 38. The pair eventually finished only about a second apart on the road. Hamilton remained in control ahead, preserving his advantage through the weather and tyre changes.

Late in the race, Rosberg suffered a gearbox problem, and the team gave him radio instructions to avoid seventh gear. The stewards ruled that part of the advice breached the requirement for drivers to drive unaided and imposed a 10-second penalty. Verstappen was promoted to second in the final classification, with Rosberg third.

Ricciardo finished fourth and Räikkönen fifth. Pérez and Hülkenberg were sixth and seventh, followed by Sainz in eighth. Vettel received a five-second penalty for forcing Massa off the track on lap 38 and ultimately finished ninth. Kvyat took tenth.

Palmer’s right-rear wheel was not properly secured during a pit stop, and his release earned a stop-go penalty. He eventually retired. Haryanto, Grosjean, Ericsson and Wehrlein also failed to finish. Magnussen retired before the end but was classified seventeenth after completing enough laps.

Hamilton claimed the 47th Grand Prix victory of his career and his third consecutive British Grand Prix win. Rosberg’s post-race penalty reduced the championship gap to one point. Rosberg remained in the lead on 168 points, with Hamilton up to 167.