Lewis Hamilton Beats Mercedes to Claim Friday’s Sprint Mini-Pole at Silverstone

Lewis Hamilton is eager to soak up the crowd at Silverstone. The British driver clinched the sprint pole for the race in front of his home fans, registering a time of 1:28.376 and finishing just eleven thousandths ahead of Kimi Antonelli. But the important thing is that Ferrari is once again promising in the United Kingdom.

The one with little to celebrate is Fernando Alonso, who will start second-to-last in the Sprint, only ahead of his teammate, Lance Stroll. Aston Martin continues without upgrades and is increasingly detached from the rest of the teams. On this occasion, more than four and a half seconds behind the fastest.

Russell fades again and Verstappen holds firm

Lewis Hamilton wants to spice up this Formula 1 World Championship. Wearing a yellow helmet that harked back to his early days, the local hero posted the best time at Silverstone to take pole for the Sprint, even though he made a mistake in the last sector. But the Ferrari has been competitive since morning.

In fact Hamilton was also fastest in the free practice sessions, though in the end the sprint pole came with only an eleven-thousandths advantage over a Kimi Antonelli who lacks standout strengths. He delivers on every circuit, and he is doing it again at Silverstone while his teammate George Russell fades once more.

Russell will start fifth, and he’s grateful for that. Not only has he been overtaken by a magical lap from Max Verstappen, third, and by the other Ferrari, Charles Leclerc. It’s that only thousandths have kept Russell behind the McLarens. General bad vibes for a driver who, despite winning in Austria, continues to struggle.

With a new livery but no major upgrades, McLaren has pushed into sixth and seventh on the grid, with Lando Norris ahead of Oscar Piastri by the narrowest of margins. In eighth place, a bit more detached, is Isack Hadjar with the second Red Bull, casting doubt on whether the Austrian upgrade will hold at Silverstone.

Racing Bulls is clearly beginning to solidify itself as the fifth team in Formula 1. They have again placed both drivers into SQ3, with Liam Lawson ninth and Arvid Lindbland tenth, though the young British rookie faltered on his final attempt in the closing round of qualifying.

Carlos Sainz managed to clear SQ1, a small Williams upgrade that did little more than land him fifteenth, just ahead of his teammate. As for Alonso, that Aston Martin remains without improvements and they again finished toward the back, with the Asturian in twenty-first.

Sprint Qualifying Results Formula 1 British Grand Prix 2026

Imágenes | McLaren, Fórmula 1