LEWIS HAMILTON LED from start to finish to clinch a hat-trick of successive British Grand Prix wins in front of a delighted — if slightly soggy — home crowd at Silverstone.
Championship leader and Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg hung on for a provisional second with the Red Bull of Max Verstappen in third.
Hamilton’s win closed the gap on Rosberg to four points at the top of the drivers’ standing but the German, who suffered late gear-box problems, could be penalised for an illegal radio communication.
It was Hamilton’s fourth triumph at the British Grand Prix, adding to his success in 2008, 2014 and 2015.
The reigning world champion started from pole in a race that began slowly behind the safety car because of heavy rain, but kept up the pressure on Rosberg with his fourth win in the last five races.
The duo had a last-lap collision last weekend in Austria, before Hamilton claimed a controversial victory, further straining already frosty relations between the two.
Rosberg was booed on the podium at Silverstone.
“We have the best fans here, thank you so much,” Hamilton told the adoring 100,000 crowd.
- © AFP, 2016; additional reporting by Niall Kelly
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