British Grand Prix record crowd wins at home but Lewis Hamilton fears Kim Antonelli will fade away.

A record crowd of around 180,000 people is expected to pack Silverstone for the British Grand Prix on Sunday.

The impressive attendance figures reflect not only the growth of Formula 1 as a sport, but Silverstone’s determination to do the best it can at a time when a special purple color has been put on for British drivers.

Many in that crowd will be hoping for victory with one of the home favourites, either nine-time winner Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari, Mercedes title challenger George Russell, yet to stand on the podium at his home race, or world champion Lando Norris, last year’s Silverstone winner, in McLaren.

But games to win at home on Sundays are not so good.

Although Hamilton and Russell start together on the second row of the grid, they are both behind their teammates, with Mercedes championship leader Kimi Antonelli on pole and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc alongside him.

Hamilton, who lost race one to Antonelli this weekend, looks unlikely to be beaten by Leclerc in qualifying for the first time since Miami in early May.

“I’m not trying to be negative but the Mercedes is faster,” said Hamilton. “If we can’t get him on the first lap, he’s going to fade away.”

It’s not that Hamilton will be doing his best to extend his home record to an impressive 10 at Silverstone, the 20th race at the track where he has scored the most victories.

But Hamilton’s words of failure are not just about the end of qualifying, but about his experience in the race.

Hamilton took pole for Saturday’s short race, but despite leading the first nine laps, Antonelli kept pace throughout, closing in on the hangar straight – leading the yellow-clad men to the ‘Lando Stand’ at Stowe’s corner – as if the Ferrari wasn’t there.

“Yesterday the car was very unbalanced and it was getting faster and faster,” Hamilton said. “Today I was struggling in the braking, the car was jerking or locking up and it wasn’t the same underneath.

“Nothing will change between today and tomorrow. If he gets a clean run, he’ll be gone.”