By DANIEL DAVIS

Chaos unfolded in the opening few laps of the British Grand Prix after three drivers were forced to retire and the safety car was deployed.

Liam Lawson, Franco Colapinto and Gabriel Bortoleto were all forced out of the rain-sodden race at Silverstone and more downpours are expected.

The black clouds rolled over the circuit for the start of the showpiece and Racing Bulls driver Lawson was the first to limp back to the garage on the opening lap, having collided with Esteban Ocon and been squeezed by Yuki Tsunoda.

Colapinto, who started in the pit lane, stalled out on track and was summoned back to the pits, while Bortoleto’s day was brought to an early end after his lime green Sauber veered off on his slick tyres and skidded onto the gravel. 

The virtual safety car was summoned twice early on, initially after the collision between Lawson and Ocon and then for Bortoleto after he smashed his rear wing.

Drivers gambled on their tyres as they looked to get ahead of the predicted rainfall. Charles Leclerc and George Russell bombed into the pits at the end of the formation lap to bolt on hards, while Isack Hadjar and Bortoleto emerged with new mediums. 

But the heavens opened again on lap 13, leading to more carnage. Piastri had hung on doggedly to Verstappen’s rear wing and finally completed the overtake to move into the lead, while Lando Norris also outstripped the world champion after he ran wide.

Verstappen would return to move back into second after a slow pit stop for Norris. 

The Safety Car was sent out a lap later after heavy rain drenched the track, reducing Piastri’s cavernous lead at the front. Leclerc comically went off after catching a large pool of water and going straight across the grass at Turn 12, emerging unscathed.

He soon complained over the radio that he could not see after water entered his visor.

More to follow.

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CHAOS in the British Grand Prix: Three drivers are forced to retire in opening laps and safety car is deployed after crash at treacherous Silverstone

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