Russell seeks to rebuild title bid with home win

The 28-year-old Briton, who is 40 points behind the 19-year-old Italian in the drivers’ title race after eight rounds of the 22-race championship, has recovered the form that made him the pre-season title favourite.

His second win of the season at the Red Bull Ring last Sunday came after claiming two consecutive pole positions.

It showed he has shaken off a difficult run of form and fortune earlier this year as Antonelli reeled off five consecutive victories to take command of the title race.

After winning nine of the last 13 British races and seven this year, Russell’s Mercedes team go into the weekend as the team best-equipped for the high-speed Silverstone challenge with a car and power unit package that has been outstanding.

But the Silver Arrows, based at nearby Brackley, will not have it all their own way as defending champion Lando Norris of McLaren, Ferrari's seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and resurgent four-time champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull are all former winners seeking further success.

Hamilton, in particular, having claimed his first victory for Ferrari and the 106th of his career in Spain three weeks ago, will relish the challenge as he bids for a record-increasing 10th home win at a circuit he loves.

But he knows too that Ferrari’s power disadvantage, as exposed in Austria where Mercedes and Red Bull shone, will hold them back.

"There’s no magic fix in racing," he said. "It’s a lot of small steps."

Russell said he would welcome a multi-team scrap for the title as the new 'hybrid era' continues to provide unpredictable and changeable racing, with little separating the top four teams.

"I’d love a big fight," said Russell.

"To be honest, you want the best drivers with the best teams all fighting and, of course, Max is very much one of the best – with Lewis, Charles, Lando, Oscar...

"The more the merrier. It feels like when we all raced in go-karting… That’s how it should be."

A first Russell win on home ground would complete a hat-trick of British wins following Hamilton and Norris in 2024 and 2025. The trio formed a first all-British podium since 1968 when they finished first, second and third in Catalunya.

"I’m so looking forward to it," said Russell. "It's the atmosphere, the fans. I’m sure it's going to be great."

Verstappen, a close second in Austria in his heavily revised Red Bull, has played down his prospects, explaining that on a high-speed power-hungry track, "you barely have any battery around the lap – it’s just constantly flat out."

It will be the fourth ‘sprint’ weekend of the season.