Queen guitarist waved the chequered flag as Hamilton secured his first win in nearly 1000 days

Queen guitarist Sir Brian May and actor Rowan Atkinson were among the stars in attendance as Lewis Hamilton triumphed at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Sir Brian had the honour of waving the chequered flag as Hamilton clinched his first victory in 945 days, taking a record-extending ninth podium finish at the iconic track.

Hamilton’s win came after a dramatic race where his Mercedes teammate, George Russell, was forced to retire due to a water system failure despite starting in pole position. McLaren’s Lando Norris looked set for second place but was overtaken by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen towards the end, securing third for the Briton.

Among the celebrity crowd, Blackadder actor Rowan Atkinson was seen in the Mercedes garage, watching the action unfold with the team. Ferrari also welcomed Game of Thrones actress Emilia Clarke, who toured the garage and met drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, who finished fifth and 14th, respectively.

Hollywood star Brad Pitt was also at the race, filming scenes for his upcoming Formula One movie, F1, where he races an adapted Formula Two car. Other familiar faces included former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson, Olympic champions Sir Mo Farah and Sir Chris Hoy, and Saturdays singer Mollie King with her cricketer husband Stuart Broad. Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham performed the national anthem before the race, expressing her pride in her British heritage.

Off the track, the Hilton Garden Inn Silverstone hosted an exclusive trackside party, part of Hilton’s Stay On The Grid experience. The event saw Paris Hilton, sports broadcaster Liam MacDevitt, and England goalkeeper Mary Earps among the guests. Performances by Jess Glynne and Wilkinson entertained the crowd, while McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri made a guest appearance.

Silverstone’s off-track entertainment included a star-studded music festival, with Kings of Leon, Stormzy, DJ Pete Tong, and Rudimental performing for the record crowd of 480,000. The weekend also featured a comedy stage with Russell Kane, Al Murray, and Troy Hawke. The British Grand Prix continues to blend top-tier motorsport with world-class entertainment.