On a Silverstone weekend where the presence of Brad Pitt and the Apple Studios crew is the talk of the town, the as of yet untitled Formula 1 film’s executive producer – the sport’s very own A-lister – struggled at his spiritual home on Friday. Lewis Hamilton remains without a win in 19 months since Saudi Arabia in the penultimate round of the 2021 season. Last year, a thrilling British Grand Prix won by Carlos Sainz saw the eight-time winner come close, but the 38-year-old remains on an unprecedented winless streak. This weekend, despite Mercedes bringing an upgraded front-wing, the practice pace simply wasn’t there for Hamilton or his team-mate George Russell. In both sessions, both drivers finished outside the top-10. “It’s a tough car to drive,” stated a brutally honest and demoralised Hamilton. “On a single lap, I didn’t feel any improvement between tyres which shows something is wrong. So we’re missing something. It didn’t feel particularly great. “Me and George were just talking and we’re at different sides with the setup – we’ll try and do something tonight and hopefully we’ll come up with something for tomorrow.” As for the man on top, no surprises here. Max Verstappen was quickest in both practice sessions under the sprinkling Silverstone sun and will be eager to correct a British Grand Prix hoodoo: in eight races, the Dutchman is yet to stand on the top of the podium. He did, however, win the one-off 70th anniversary grand prix at Silverstone during the covid-impacted 2020 season. “Overall, it’s been a strong day again,” Verstappen said, not for the first or last time in 2023. “The car has been performing really well, pretty positive.” Instead of the regularity of Red Bull’s dominance, the main feel-good story on Friday was Williams’ surprise pace, predominantly from the rejuvenated Alex Albon. Slowly but surely creeping up the leaderboard under the leadership of former Mercedes strategist James Vowles, Williams had a day to remember while sporting a special livery to celebrate their upcoming 800th grand prix. Albon was third-fastest in both practice sessions, with American rookie team-mate Logan Sargeant joining him in the top-five in the afternoon. There is forecasted to be rain in the air in and around qualifying on Saturday, which could provide a smidgeon of unpredictability in what has been a predictable order of events in the past few months, with Red Bull’s and in particular Verstappen’s all-out domination. Instead, a record 480,00 crowd at Silverstone this weekend – up by 79,000 from 2022 – will find intrigue in the early production scenes of the highly-anticipated feature film, with Pitt the star attraction. The fictional ‘Apex’ team are filming scenes in and around the paddock and using impressively modified F2 cars on track with stunt drivers. There are even plans for scenes to be rapidly shot on the grid ahead of Sunday’s grand prix. Such is Verstappen’s supremacy, the pre-race shenanigans could represent the most entertainment on Sunday ahead of a British Grand Prix whose victor has never felt quite so inevitable. There is also, understandably, wariness of another Just Stop Oil protest this weekend, after their actions at Wimbledon this week and at various sporting events this summer, with F1 and Northamptonshire Police on high alert and making extra provisions to ensure all the action goes ahead without interruption. Read More Alex Albon provides closest threat to Red Bull in British Grand Prix practice What time is F1 qualifying tomorrow at the British Grand Prix? Formula One welcomes Brad Pitt but is wary of protesters at British Grand Prix What time is qualifying at the British Grand Prix on Saturday? Jackie Stewart suffers stroke and falls ‘unconscious’ in frightening health scare F1 British Grand Prix LIVE: Practice updates and lap times from Silverstone

Russian President Vladimir Putin has told leaders and officials from most African countries that his nation is making full efforts to avert a global food crisis despite concerns that its withdrawal from a deal allowing grain shipments from Ukraine will cause price spikes

Pets provide joy and companionship, but costs can add up quickly, especially if you’re a first-time owner and don’t know what to expect

The US home of Sonic the Hedgehog is now a union shop. Workers at Sega of America say

Some Assassin’s Creed players got an unwanted surprise this week when a fullscreen pop-up ad

The best-selling author and award-winning television host Padma Lakshmi says she will not miss the 'copious amount of food' after leaving 'Top Chef'

Bella, the dog who survived more than two months at sea on raw fish and rainwater with stranded Australian sailor Tim Shaddock, has found a new life in Mexico with a...

Whether your child’s GCSE results are high, low, or somewhere in between, one thing is inevitable – they’ll compare them with their friends’ grades. This comparison culture, which is far more pervasive because of social media, can leave teens feeling inadequate because their results are worse than their mates, or make their friends feel useless if roles are reversed. But although there’s no getting away from teenagers comparing their results both on and offline, what can parents do to try and limit the damage this it can cause? Former teacher Dr Julia Clements, principal educational psychologist at the children’s mental health charity Place2Be, says the comparison of results will undoubtedly impact some teenagers’ wellbeing. “Your teenager is bound to compare their results with their peers at the same school, but also through social media,” she acknowledges. “Although this comparison is inevitable, it may be harmful for your child’s wellbeing – especially if they’ve not done as well as expected. “Indeed, the term ‘compare and despair’ can be especially pertinent on days like today.” Sharon Davies, CEO of Young Enterprise, a charity which helps young people navigate the changing world of work, adds: “The pressure to measure up to their friends’ achievements can be overwhelming, leading to feelings of inadequacy or disappointment.” So how can parents help their teens? 1. Ask how they feel If your child is down on themselves and rating themselves negatively in comparison to their friends, they may reject any positives and praise parents provide, Clements warns. “It may be more useful, in the first instance, to ask them how they’re feeling, and to acknowledge and validate difficult feelings,” she advises. Such feelings may include disappointment, sadness, anger, shame, or feeling as if they’ve let themselves – and you – down. “If your child is feeling like this, it’s important to give them the message that you love them unconditionally and you’re proud and pleased to be their parent because of who they are – not because of the grades they achieve,” she stresses. 2. If they’ve done better than their friends… If your child has achieved good results, which may be better than some of their friends, then they’ll want to celebrate. But while celebrating is of course a great idea, Clements suggests: “You may want to talk with them about how to be sensitive and compassionate towards their friends who haven’t done so well.” 3. Help them turn a negative into a positive Consultant clinical psychologist Dr Nihara Krause specialises in teenage mental health and is working with the Talking Futures campaign to help parents engage their children in meaningful conversations about their futures. She says if a young person doesn’t get the grades they were hoping for, they may be highly critical of their performance in comparison to their peers. But she suggests parents show them how to turn their negative thinking around. “Parents should encourage their children to focus on recognising the approach they took to exams this time round and take steps to reflect on what they could do to achieve a better result in the future. Focus on what helps a young person gain their own personal best, no matter how their results compare with others.” 4. Don’t ask about their friend’s results or post about them Krause says parents should try to celebrate their child’s achievements for what they are and avoid asking about their friends’ results. “To avoid comparison, parents should also avoid sharing their child’s results on social media,” she says. 5. Don’t be too hard on yourself Clements points out that comparison culture may not just affect teenagers – if their results aren’t as good as expected, mums and dads might start comparing their own parenting during the revision and exam period with other parents whose kids have got better results. “As a parent or carer, you may also be drawn into unhelpful comparisons with others,” says Clements, “and you may question the amount of support you were able to provide your child in the run up to their exams. However, today is not a day for self-criticism or judgements – some self-compassion is important at this time.” 6. Reach out for support This might be the first results day many parents have gone through with their child, and while comparisons with other teens may well have been unhelpful, Davies points out that schools will have career advisers and teachers available who can offer support and advice. There are also online forums and blogs where those in similar situations share their experiences. She says: “No-one is expecting you to have all the answers – that’s why there’s support available.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Women more severely affected by ME, study claims 4 hacks to get teens off the sofa and get active – as study warns of heart damage Taking adult education classes may lower risk of dementia, study suggests

Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last dollar.

It was past time for an alien makeover. Dell's Alienware just announced the next edition

For months, Elon Musk has pinned much of the blame for Tesla Inc.’s price cuts on central banks.

PJT Partners Inc. has hired former Centerview Partners banker Roland Phillips for consumer dealmaking, according to people with