Lewis Hamilton likens victory of the British GP to winning the World Championship

Lewis Hamilton says victory in the British GP is the "ultimate" achievement on the F1 calendar and likened winning at Silverstone to lifting the World Championship.

Against the rampant Red Bulls, for whom World Champion Sebastian Vettel won in emphatic style last time out in Canada, Hamilton will need every advantage he can accrue. Although Mercedes are the favourites to secure a fifth pole position in six events, the characteristics of the fast-speed Silverstone circuit are expected to exacerbate the tendency of the W04 to eat into its rear tyres, whilst suiting Red Bull's RB9. One partial consequence of that expectation has been relatively slow ticket sales for this weekend's event with 'Red Bull fatigue', high prices, the weather-induced chaos that plagued last year's event and the reduced expectation of a British victory all cited as contributing factors to the failure of Silverstone to sell out in advance. Circuit authorities confirmed to Sky Sports Online on Monday that tickets will be available on the door for all three days of track action.