The British Formula One Grand Prix was halted and re-started, after a multi-car opening-lap collision left Chinese driver Guanyu Zhou's Alfa Romeo wedged on its side between the tyre barrier and catch fence.
The governing FIA says emergency crews were quickly on the scene to extract Zhou, whose car skidded upside down along the track at speed, before bouncing across gravel and flipping over the impact-absorbing tyre wall.
The rookie remained conscious and was taken to the medical centre for further evaluation, along with Williams' Alexander Albon, who was later transferred to hospital in Coventry by helicopter for precautionary checks.
"He's conscious, talking and no fractures," said an FIA spokesman of Zhou. "Considering the circumstances, he is pretty good."
Ferrari's Carlos Sainz claimed his first F1 victory, with Red Bull's Mexican Sergio Perez finishing runner-up, 3.779 seconds behind the Spaniard, with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in third for Mercedes, taking the fastest lap for a bonus point.
"Yes! We did it! Vamos!" exclaimed a delighted Sainz over the radio, after a win that had looked unlikely at one point, despite him lining up on pole position for the first time in his 150th race start.
"I don't know what to say, it's amazing. First race win, 150 races later, with Ferrari in Silverstone... I cannot ask for more.
"It's a very special day, a day that I will never forget, a very special weekend in general."
The last nine laps were frantic, full of overtaking, as the safety car came in and Perez, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Hamilton battled for second.
At one point, eight-time British GP winner Hamilton passed both his rivals in one move, and then went from second to fourth and back to third.
Championship leader Max Verstappen finished seventh for Red Bull with a damaged car, his lead over Perez cut from 46 to 34 points, after 10 of 22 races.
Leclerc, who led with 12 laps to go, finished an unhappy fourth, after a strategy call that cost him victory.
The Monegasque stayed out during a late safety-car deployment and then had to defend against rivals with fresher tyres.
Spanish double world champion Fernando Alonso was fifth for Alpine, with McLaren's Lando Norris sixth.
Germany's Mick Schumacher - son of Ferrari great and seven-time world champion Michael - scored his first F1 points with eighth for Haas, who also had Kevin Magnussen finish 10th.
Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel went from 18th to ninth for Aston Martin on his 35th birthday in a race full of action and suspense, but with only 14 finishers.
Reuters.
