Crofty: Leclerc a match for Max, Hamilton to star in upgraded Merc

Ahead of a much-anticipated British GP, Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft assesses the big talking points, offers his predictions, and explains why he has high hopes of a Mercedes resurgence at Silverstone... Can anyone stop Verstappen at Silverstone?

Max Verstappen has been in ominous form as he looks to defend his F1 title this season, winning six of nine races - while his Red Bull team have claimed six in a row. Are they favourites this weekend?

"Ferrari were stopping Max at the start of the season and have been in positions recently to stop Max Verstappen, but their reliability has let them down," says Crofty.

"Charles Leclerc is probably driving as well as Max at the moment, but he's retired from the lead twice through no fault of his own, and he had to start from the back at Canada - where he finished fifth. I thought that was a very strong drive from him, given he didn't quite have the straight-line speed.

"What Max has done very well is make the most of the opportunities that have come his way. He's driving extremely well and you can't fault him. He's retired twice himself, and those weren't his fault either.

"I do think they're fairly even, Max and Charles. I don't think one or the other is driving that much better than the other. They're the two form horses for this weekend, no doubt."

Expectations are higher at Mercedes this weekend, with the team bringing upgrades to their car and optimistic of the Silverstone circuit suiting them more than the recent street tracks. Can they, and drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, deliver?

"This is a massive weekend for Mercedes.

"We went to Spain and they had a handle on the bouncing, but then we went to street circuits - Monaco, Baku and Canada - which were a