Formula 1 has arrived at the iconic British Grand Prix at Silverstone, but this time, neither home heroes Lewis Hamilton nor Lando Norris, will start from pole position. However, the pole for Sunday’s race belongs to Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli.Silverstone has always been more than just a stop on the Formula 1 calendar.It is the birthplace of the Formula 1 World Championship, a circuit where speed meets history and where Britain’s best have created unforgettable moments. This weekend, however, the spotlight has shifted to two generations of racing talent—19-year-old championship leader Kimi Antonelli and nine-time British Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton.After George Russell’s victory in Austria last week, Mercedes arrived at Silverstone looking to extend their dominance, while Ferrari hoped that Hamilton’s outstanding record on his home circuit would finally yield another victory.The 2026 British Grand Prix is a Sprint weekend, so there is only one Free Practice session (FP1) before Sprint Qualifying, followed by the Sprint race and Grand Prix Qualifying on Saturday. There are no FP2 or FP3 sessions under the Sprint format.
Free Practice 1: Hamilton Sends a Message
With the Sprint format only allowing for one practice session, teams have just 60 minutes to perfect their setups before the competition begins. Lewis Hamilton wasted no time.The Ferrari driver delighted the home crowd by topping the only practice session with a lap of 1:29.260, finishing 0.213 seconds ahead of championship leader Kimi Antonelli. It’s a statement of intent from the seven-time world champion, who is as comfortable as ever through Silverstone’s legendary Maggotts-Becketts complex.Antonelli again showed Mercedes’ impressive pace, while George Russell endured a relatively quiet session as the Brackley outfit focused on race simulations rather than outright lap times. McLaren also looked competitive on home soil, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri remaining within touching distance of the leaders.Top 5 fastest laps
| Position: | driver: | team: | Lap Time / Gap: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1: | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:29.260 |
| 2: | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.213 s |
| 3: | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.599s |
| 4: | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.678 s |
| 5:00 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren: | +0.887s |
Sprint Qualifying: Hamilton delivers for the Home Crowd
Silverstone exploded on Friday night. Lewis Hamilton produced one of his best qualifying laps since joining Ferrari to take the Sprint Pole by just 0.011 seconds over Kimi Antonelli. Hamilton led throughout Sprint Qualifying before setting a superb final lap of 1:28.376, denying Antonelli at the last moment.Max Verstappen qualified third, ahead of Charles Leclerc, while George Russell could only manage fifth after struggling to get the pace out of his Mercedes. For Hamilton, it marked his first Sprint Pole with Ferrari and restored hopes of ending Mercedes’ dominance in front of his home fans.Top 5 for the Sprint race
| Position: | driver: | team: | SQ3 Lap Time / Gap: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1: | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:28.376 |
| 2: | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.011s |
| 3: | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | +0.321 s |
| 4: | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.327 s |
| 5:00 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.357 s |
Sprint Race. Antonelli replied:
If Friday belongs to Hamilton, Saturday afternoon belongs to Antonelli. Kimi overtook Hamilton around the Hangar Straight on Lap 8 using Overtake Mode before pulling away to take his first Sprint victory. When in clean air, Antonelli was untouchable, crossing the line 2.7 seconds ahead of Hamilton to claim the highest points in the Sprint and strengthen his championship lead.Lando Norris recovered well to finish third, while George Russell narrowly missed the podium in fourth. Hamilton admitted that changing wind conditions played a big role in Antonelli’s decisive move, but Ferrari’s pace suggests they remain genuine contenders heading into Grand Prix qualifying.
2026 Silverstone Sprint Race Classification
| Pos. | driver: | team: | transgressions | Time/Gap: | Points: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1: | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 17:00 | 26:12.129 | 8 o’clock |
| 2: | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 17:00 | +2.745 s | 7:00 |
| 3: | Lando Norris | McLaren: | 17:00 | +9.783 s | 6:00 |
| 4: | George Russell | Mercedes | 17:00 | +10.639 s | 5:00 |
| 5:00 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 17:00 | +12.620 s | 4: |
| 6:00 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 17:00 | +16.550 s | 3: |
| 7:00 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren: | 17:00 | +17,551 s | 2: |
| 8 o’clock | Liam Lawson: | Racing bulls | 17:00 | + 30.233 s | 1: |
| 9:00 | Isaac Hadjar | Red Bull Racing | 17:00 | +30.953s | 0: |
| 10:00 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing bulls | 17:00 | +35.110 s | 0: |
| 11:00 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine: | 17:00 | +40.273 s | 0: |
| 12:00 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine: | 17:00 | +41.026 s | 0: |
| 13:00 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi: | 17:00 | +42.155 s | 0: |
| 14:00 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi: | 17:00 | +43.882 s | 0: |
| 15:00 | Oliver Bearman | Haas: | 17:00 | +45.201 s | 0: |
| 16:00 | Esteban Ocon | Haas: | 17:00 | +46.331 s | 0: |
| 17:00 | Carlos Sainz Jr. | Williams: | 17:00 | +48.910 s | 0: |
| 18:00 | Alex Alban | Williams: | 17:00 | + 49,441 s | 0: |
| 19:00 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac: | 17:00 | +52.115 s | 0: |
| 20:00 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 17:00 | +56.702s | 0: |
| 21:00 | Lance Walk | Aston Martin | 17:00 | +58.339 s | 0: |
| 22:00 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac: | 17:00 | +1:02.114s | 0: |
Qualifications: Antonelli Gives Another Masterclass
With the Sprint win already secured, Antonelli entered qualifying carrying a lot of momentum. He produced another stunning performance, setting a lap of 1:28.111 to take his fifth pole position of the season. Charles Leclerc delivered Ferrari’s strongest qualifying performance in weeks by securing second, ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton in third.George Russell recovered well from an early mistake in Q1 to qualify fourth, while Isack Hadjar completed another outstanding Saturday for Red Bull in fifth. Lando Norris and Max Verstappen could only manage sixth and seventh respectively after struggling to find grip in changing wind conditions.Mercedes continued its remarkable record of taking pole position in every race in 2026, with Antonelli once again leading the charge.2026 British Grand Prix Qualifying Results (Top 5)
| Position: | driver: | team: | Q3 Time: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1: | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:28.111 |
| 2: | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:28.286 |
| 3: | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:28.458 |
| 4: | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:28.481 |
| 5:00 | Isaac Hadjar | Red Bull Racing | 1:28.746 |
Hamilton’s Silverstone Revival
Few circuits suit Lewis Hamilton quite like Silverstone. The Ferrari driver topped practice, took the Sprint Pole, finished second in the Sprint and qualified third for Sunday’s Grand Prix. The crowd at home will believe that another victory at Silverstone remains within reach.
The race ahead:
All points towards another interesting Mercedes versus Ferrari showdown on Sunday 7:30 PM IST. Antonelli started from pole carrying confidence after the Sprint win. Leclerc and Hamilton locked down the second and third positions for Ferrari.Russell was desperate to challenge after recovering from a qualifying session. Meanwhile, Verstappen and Norris remain close enough to take advantage if the Briton’s strategy or weather changes disrupt the order. Silverstone rarely fails.