The British Grand Prix weekend delivered plenty of action both on and off the circuit. From Oscar Piastri’s humorous radio message after a qualifying scare to Sergio Perez making a bold statement ahead of England’s World Cup clash with Mexico, here are five memorable stories that caught fans’ attention at Silverstone.
A gift Bottas didn’t appreciate
For the first time, Lewis Hamilton arrived at Silverstone without Roscoe, his beloved bulldog, who sadly passed away in September 2025. During the FIA press conference, the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion shared a funny memory from his days as Valtteri Bottas’ Mercedes team-mate: “I remember Roscoe used to snore a lot, waking me up in the middle of the night. Whenever I took him outside, he’d always stop in front of Valtteri’s door. I have no idea why.”
Bottas, who has always enjoyed a great relationship with Hamilton, responded with the same sense of humour: “For me, it was like a gift.”
Piastri’s black underwear joke
One of the biggest scares of qualifying came during Q3 when Arvid Lindblad was released from the Red Bull garage just as Oscar Piastri’s McLaren arrived. The Australian managed to avoid a heavy collision by braking at the very last moment.
After the near miss, Piastri couldn’t resist making a joke over the team radio.
“Luckily I’m wearing black underwear, not white.”
Lindblad was investigated by the stewards for an unsafe release after qualifying, but escaped without a grid penalty. His team received only a fine, allowing the young Briton to start ninth and eventually finish an impressive seventh on his Formula 1 debut at his home Grand Prix, scoring six valuable championship points.
Antonelli the politician
Andrea Kimi Antonelli enjoyed a dream Saturday by winning the Sprint Race and then claiming pole position.
During the post-qualifying press conference, the Italian was asked about the performances of his Mercedes team-mate George Russell, who had struggled more throughout the weekend: “I don’t want to comment on others. I’m focused on my own job. He’s a very strong driver, especially in qualifying. He always manages to maximise the result.”
Lewis Hamilton immediately interrupted with a smile.
“Excellent answer. I think you should become a politician.”
Alonso finds some consolation
Before the British Grand Prix, the drivers took part in the now-famous Lego race, driving specially built karts made from more than 28,000 Lego bricks each.
The colourful machines were capable of reaching speeds of up to 25 km/h and were built by a team of 20 designers and engineers, who spent more than 6,400 hours bringing them to life.
Fernando Alonso crossed the finish line first and joked afterwards: “It was the best race of my life, but because we were driving Lego cars, it will never count.”
Ironically, it turned out to be the highlight of his weekend after qualifying last and finishing only 18th in Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Perez shows his personality
Sergio Perez also attracted attention before the race by arriving at Silverstone wearing the Mexico national football team’s shirt, despite being surrounded by British fans.
The timing made the gesture even more noticeable, as only a few hours remained before England faced Mexico in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 in the United States.
Unfortunately for Perez, the result did not go his way. England defeated Mexico 3-2 thanks to a brace from Jude Bellingham and a Harry Kane penalty. Perez’s Formula 1 race was equally disappointing, with the Mexican crossing the finish line in 14th place.
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