Can Silverstone give F1 a silver lining?
Like fast-engulfing smog, it's been hard to avoid the malaise which has swept around F1 to almost choking effect so far in 2015. While the sport has hardly been immune from periods of soul-searching in the past, just about every race weekend this year has proved open season on that most favourite of F1 bywords: 'the show'. In fact, following seven Mercedes wins in eight races, some would have you believe there's now almost no show at all.
This weekend, it's Silverstone's turn to welcome the dysfunctional family and perhaps the timing of F1's annual pilgrimage to the home of British motorsport couldn't have been any better timed, given the old RAF station represents much of what makes this sport great. Sure, there may certainly be other races on the calendar with more jaw-dropping sites and scenery, but Silverstone - particularly when the sun is out, as is forecast to be the case to glorious effect this weekend - exudes a special charm and atmosphere of its own, with the famously fast and flowing 5.9km track one of the most challenging of any age. Classic sporting events are often made by their atmosphere, and with a record 140,000 fans expected to turn up for Sunday's race, the British GP certainly has that magic ingredient in abundance too.
While it would be overly patriotic, and frankly incorrect, to claim the British GP always produces a classic race, the last two instalments have certainly served up unpredictability with 2013's exploding tyres followed by 2014's home Lewis Hamilton victory after Nico Rosberg's gearbox failure. With critics on social media queuing up to label just about everything to do with F1 'boring' at the moment, the 2015 British GP will have to go some to rise above all that negativity. But if anywhere can do it, then a sun-kissed Silverstone just might be the place.
JG
Can Lewis prove his schedule works?
Lewis Hamilton's extra-curricular activities have angled towards becoming a talking point all year long. The subject first simmered as long ago as February when he attended the Brit Awards the night before running in early-morning testing at Barcelona; came to the surface in May, when he prepared for the Spanish GP by attending the Mayweather-Pacquiao bout in Las Vegas; and finally boiled over last week when he elected - to what sounded suspiciously like the surprise, if not mild disappointment, of Mercedes - to skip the two-day Austria test in favour of what was depicted as a few days of music-based frolicking.
"I just find it bizarre that he would say 'no' and go off and be in Monaco with whoever he was with," railed British Racing Drivers' Club president Derek Warwick.
Hamilton's choice of companions aside, there were legitimate, grounded reasons to argue the Mercedes driver ought to have stayed on in the Austrian mountains. Albeit only relatively, he struggled at the Red Bull Ring and appeared out of sorts throughout the Austrian GP weekend. Instead of rediscovering his groove, Hamilton's self-decided absence meant that Rosberg was able to maintain his race-winning momentum instead. Mercedes may not have been trying out many new parts, but at the very least the test offered Hamilton an opportunity to fix the clutch-setting issue which has resulted in two slow starts off the line in the last three races. Given that the driver who has led into the first corner has won seven of this year's nine races and you can see why some might believe Hamilton would have been better off staying on at the Red Bull Ring rather than hanging out with the Kardashians at Glastonbury.
But a happy worker tends to be a good worker and Hamilton's pursuit of a happy medium in his work-life balance shouldn't be flippantly dismissed. "This is the happiest l've been for a long, long time career-wise," Hamilton said last month, when he faced similar questions about his schedule. "Outside, it's great when you can do the things you want to do, knowing they are not a distraction and then you can perform. I'm very careful with the things l choose to do."
Careful and circumspect - to little fanfare and a total lack of back-slapping self-publicity - Hamilton spent part of his self-induced week off at a charity event for wounded servicemen after being appointed as an ambassador for the Invictus Games Foundation. His critics are liable to draw less attention to that benevolent activity than his easily-sniped presence at the Glastonbury mud fest.
Ultimately, of course, it's his life and the wisdom of Hamilton's schedule will be determined by his results on track. Win this weekend and his decision to skip the Austria test will be emphatically vindicated with no more questions asked. Lose, however, and the questions will become outright condemnation. It's the nature of the beast. Lewis, it's over to you.
PG
Is time running out for Raikkonen?
Dare we say it of a world champion, but there's been a degree of haplessness about Kimi Raikkonen's recent efforts behind the wheel of an F1 car. Qualifying we've long known about - the Finn, who has claimed 16 career pole positions, hasn't really delivered those final few tenths since his return in 2012. The races have been a different matter; well, they were at Lotus anyway, and there have been glimpses of a return to that level this season. But his performances on Saturday have still tended to hinder those delivered the next, with the trend reversed in Canada. It pretty much flatlined in Austria - when he failed to make it through Q1 on Saturday and then crashed out after a lap on race day - to the extent that one almost felt a bit sorry for him.
With his contract up for renewal, Raikkonen insists his motivation remains intact and he's as committed as ever. But Felipe Massa had this to say to Sky Sports News HQ about his former team-mate on Saturday: "Kimi's not enjoying racing. I had the same problem when I was at Ferrari - when you are not having fun, you cannot do your best - he needs to be more relaxed and happy." On track, meanwhile, there was something listless about his defences during the closing laps of the Monaco GP - in the way Daniel Ricciardo, a good decade younger, just barged him out of the way. Ferrari's chivvying of their former world champion remains respectful, affectionate even. Yet, as ever with them, one wonders what's going on behind the scenes.
So when does a bad run become something more deep-rooted? At least last year Raikkonen could blame his car; but the longer his current run continues, the more the excuses seem just that and greater will grow the chorus saying it's time for a change. It's often been said that Ferrari like to have their contracts sorted out by Monza; if so, then Kimi has only three races to prove he's still the man the men from Maranello need.
MW
Expectations high at Force India
No disrespect to Force India, but it's a measure of Red Bull's current difficulties that the Silverstone-based team are targeting the fourth place in the constructors' standings the four-time champions currently hold. The fact they're biting at Red Bull's heels (well, 24 points behind) must also serve as a measure of their own alchemic powers, seeing as though they've essentially been competing with last year's car. The going has been hard at times (particularly at the Spanish GP, where the VJM08's lack of downforce was plain for all to see) but things have gotten better lately at more suitable tracks, with Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez earning their first double points finish of the season in Austria.
Now - finally - their 'B'-spec car is being introduced, new 'nostril' nose and all. Expectations are naturally high and with the midfield as tight as it is (Lotus are just two points behind), it will be interesting to see whether Force India can maintain their recent upturn in form, or perhaps even build on it. Well known in recent years for making a fast start to the season before their performances tail off, it's a trend that might be reversed this year.
MW