British GP 2024 F1 weather forecast: Rain expected at Silverstone after Friday practice

Rain is on the forecast for Sunday’s race which will play havoc with tyre strategy for the teams, though it could benefit eight-time winner Lewis Hamilton, who is excellent in wet conditions

The British Grand Prix starts on Friday and the weather is set to be mixed over the three days of action at Silverstone.

On practice day on Friday, it is set to be overcast after rain early in the morning. Both sessions, at 12:30pm and 4pm, are set to pass without rain, though a heavy downpour is expected at around 6pm, so those camping at the circuit should take cover.

• F1 British Grand Prix LIVE: Practice schedule, times, updates and results from Silverstone

“Cloud and outbreaks of rain will spread east through the day bringing some potentially heavy rain across parts of central and southern England and south Wales,” the Met Office said, “with 20-40 mm of rain falling within 12-18 hours in places.”

The clearest day is set to be qualifying on Saturday. After a bit of rain in the morning and potentially a thunderstorm at 9am, the rest of the day is clear with even the sun breaking through at 4pm, which is when qualifying is set to end.

But on Sunday, with the race starting at 3pm (BST), it is set to be wet. The Met Office states that there is a 60% chance of rain on Sunday afternoon, which only reduces to 40% at 7pm.

A wet race usually results in chaos in the pit-lane. While dry (slick) tyres are the quickest, the condition of the track is fundamental to the choice of tyre and standing water will likely mean the intermediate tyre is regularly in use throughout the race.

If the rain is constant and heavy, the extreme wet tyre may also be in use, simply to keep the cars on track. However should this be the case, the race could well be red-flagged.

The Met Office added that a “strong jet stream in the Atlantic” is causing the changeable conditions this week.

Silverstone hosts the British Grand Prix (Getty Images)

“Much of the UK will continue to be on the cooler side of the jet, meaning temperatures will be around or just below average,” it said. “Where there is sunshine though, it will feel fairly warm, largely in the south.”

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are among the best drivers in wet conditions, with Fernando Alonso also something of an expert.

Hamilton won his first British Grand Prix in 2008 in wet conditions, describing his first win at Silverstone as his favourite on Thursday.

The Mercedes driver, however, has not won a race since December 2021.