Tyre dramas nearly cost Hamilton British Grand Prix win

World champion Lewis Hamilton crossed the line with a delaminated tyre to take his third race of the season by the skin of his teeth at Silverstone.

The hard compound Pirelli tyres suffered late in the race with Valtteri Bottas and Carlos Sainz suffering failures before the end, Hamilton's front left went around Luffield on the final lap but he managed to bring his Mercedes home ahead Max Verstappen. The Dutchman had pitted a lap earlier in anticipation of a potential tyre failure on his Red Bull, and secured the fastest lap as he tried on vain to catch Hamilton's ailing car.

Hamilton said: "That last lap was smooth sailing! Valtteri was pushing hard and I was tyre managing. When I heard his went, k was just looking at mine and it seemed fine. I backed off but it just deflated. That was a heart in my mouth feeling. Driving it, trying to keep the speed up... My god I was just praying to get it around! Maybe we should have pitted!"

Verstappen added: "It's lucky and unlucky. The tyres didn't look great later on, but then Valtteri got a puncture and they boxed me. Lewis then got a puncture himself, but I'm happy with second - it's a good result for us."

Charles Leclerc finished third, with Daniel Ricciardo fourth in the Renault.

Leclerc said: "It was a tricky race, and with all the tyre problems I slowed down towards the end. We've done the best we could have done today. The car's potential is not where we want to be but we're happy with third."

Lando Norris brought his McLaren home fifth, ahead of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly. Alex Albon survived a first lap crash with Kevin Magnussen and a five-second penalty to finish eighth, while Lance Stroll's Racing Point came home in a disappointing ninth ahead of an equally disappointing tenth for Sebastian Vettel in the second Ferrari.