F1: Sainz converts pole into maiden victory; Hamilton takes third

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz claimed his first Formula 1 victory after a breath-taking contest. The Spaniard finished ahead of the Red Bull of Sergio Perez and the Mercedes of Sir Lewis Hamilton.

The race featured many talking points, notably a first lap incident at Abbey resulting in a red flag that saw Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu and Williams’ Alex Albon both taken to the medical centre. Zhou was later released and Albon was transferred to nearby Coventry Hospital for precautionary checks, with those two, plus Mercedes’ George Russell, forced into retirement following the incidents.

The key to Sainz’s victory was a late Safety Car caused by Esteban Ocon who retired his Alpine. Sainz was able to attack team mate Charles Leclerc on fresh tyres at the restart to take the lead.

The action from there until the close of play was fantastic. Sainz had checked out at the front, but behind a mistake from Leclerc at Turn 18 allowed Perez and Hamilton to close up, the trio then passing and repassing each other in a fitting end to what had been a chaotic race. It was Perez, though, who had the legs, passing Hamilton into the Village Complex, with Leclerc sneaking past the Mercedes too, before that duo enjoyed a sensational duel – Leclerc brilliantly holding off Hamilton through Copse, only to be forced to cede position at Stowe.

That was how the top four remained. Sainz crossed the line 3.779s up on Perez for his first-ever victory in Formula 1. Perez turned P16 into P2 and the biggest cheers were reserved for Hamilton, taking P3, a  second straight podium and 13th at Silverstone – an all-time record at a single venue.

F2: Lights-to-flag maiden win for Sargeant

Logan Sargeant put in a controlled drive to score his maiden FIA Formula 2 Championship victory in the Feature Race.

The American didn’t put a foot wrong from pole position, successfully navigating two restarts and a one-stop strategy to take to the top step of the podium for Carlin.

The first of those two safety car interventions was required after a crash at the Club chicane, Roy Nissany (DAMS) and Dennis Hauger (PREMA) making contact in the braking zone, before the latter straight-lined across the grass, vaulted the kerb on the apex and collided with the Halo of Nissany’s car. Both walked away thankfully unharmed.

Theo Pourchaire was Sargeant’s closest challenger after a strong start promoted him to second, and although he never looked like deposing the race leader, the ART Grand Prix racer did trim the gap back to 1.6 seconds in the closing laps.

Another fast-starter, Liam Lawson, made it a first double podium in F2 for Carlin in four years with third, and the Kiwi was made to work for it after late-race pressure from both championship leader Felipe Drugovich (MP Motorsport) and Frederik Vesti (ART).

F3: Home podiums for O’Sullivan and Bearman as Leclerc wins

Zak O’Sullivan and Ollie Bearman both took podium finishes in front of an excited home crowd in a thrilling final FIA Formula 3 race of the weekend at Silverstone.

Carlin racer O’Sullivan led the field away initially from pole but was passed on the outside of Stowe for the race lead by PREMA’s Arthur Leclerc. The positions were reversed under an early-race safety car to recover Franco Colapinto’s stricken challenger at Luffield, Leclerc adjudged to have made the move after the race was halted.

It proved to be only a matter of time, however, with the Monegasque, brother of Ferrari F1 star Charles, drawing alongside O’Sullivan shortly after the restart. The pair ran side-by-side through Luffield and down the National Pits Straight, but the inside line for the right-hander at Copse ensured Leclerc would emerge ahead.

O’Sullivan put the pressure on Leclerc but couldn’t steal the position back and his attention on the final tour switched from attack to defense as he came under fire from compatriot Oliver Bearman (PREMA), a steady riser from sixth on the grid to third.

With use of the slipstream down the Hangar Straight, Bearman attempted a pass on the outside into Stowe on the final lap, then tried to set O’Sullivan up through the Club chicane for the final dash to the line.

Although Bearman had the greater momentum and clipped the inside kerb to set up a ‘heart in mouth’ moment across the line, O’Sullivan did enough to hang on to second, and his maiden podium in FIA Formula 3.

F3: Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup: Heinrich scores first victory of the season

Porsche Junior Laurin Heinrich (D/SSR Huber Racing) scored his first Supercup victory of the season. The 20-year-old German beat Larry ten Voorde (NL/Team GP Elite), who had taken up round three of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup from pole position. The third podium step was occupied by British racer Harry King (BWT Lechner Racing).