Formula 1 has arrived for the iconic British Grand Prix at Silverstone, but this time neither local heroes Lewis Hamilton nor Lando Norris will start from pole position. Instead, pole position for Sunday’s race belongs to Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli.Silverstone has always been more than just another stop on the Formula One calendar.It’s the birthplace of the Formula 1 World Championship, a circuit where speed meets history and where Britain’s best racers create unforgettable moments. This weekend, however, the focus turns to two generations of racing talent – 19-year-old championship leader Kimi Antonelli and nine-time British Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton.Mercedes arrive at Silverstone looking to extend their dominance following George Russell’s victory in Austria last week, while Ferrari hope Hamilton’s impressive record at his home track will eventually lead to another win.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 in Sprint format.
Free Exercise 1: Hamilton Sends a Message
Since the sprint format only allows one practice, teams only have 60 minutes to perfect their setup before the game. Lewis Hamilton wasted no time.The Ferrari driver delighted the home crowd when he claimed victory in the only practice session with a lap time of 1:29.260, 0.213 seconds ahead of championship leader Kimi Antonelli. It was a statement of intent from the seven-time world champion, who looked immediately comfortable at Silverstone’s legendary Magtz-Beckert complex.Antonelli once again displayed Mercedes’ impressive pace, while George Russell experienced a relatively quiet race as the Blakely team focused on race simulation rather than lap times. McLaren also looked competitive at home, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri still within striking distance of the leaders.Top 5 fastest laps
| Location | driver | team | Lap time/gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | lewis hamilton | ferrari | 1:29.260 |
| 2 | Kimi Antonelli | Benz | +0.213 seconds |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | ferrari | +0.599 seconds |
| 4 | George Russell | Benz | +0.678 seconds |
| 5 | Oscar Piastri | mclaren | +0.887 seconds |
Sprint qualifying: Hamilton delivers for home crowd
Silverstone broke out on Friday night. Lewis Hamilton set one of his best qualifying laps since joining Ferrari to claim sprint pole position just 0.011 seconds ahead of Kimi Antonelli. Hamilton led throughout sprint qualifying, finishing a brilliant final lap with a time of 1:28.376 and holding off Antonelli’s attack at the last moment.Max Verstappen was third, ahead of Charles Leclerc, while George Russell could only manage fifth after struggling to match Mercedes’ pace. For Hamilton, it marked his first pole position with Ferrari and reignited hopes of ending Mercedes’ dominance in front of his home fans.Top 5 in sprint race
| Location | driver | team | SQ3 lap time/gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | lewis hamilton | ferrari | 1:28.376 |
| 2 | Kimi Antonelli | Benz | +0.011 seconds |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | red bull racing | +0.321 seconds |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | ferrari | +0.327 seconds |
| 5 | George Russell | Benz | +0.357 seconds |
Sprint: Antonelli’s response
If Friday belonged to Hamilton, then Saturday afternoon belonged to Antonelli. Kimi used overtaking mode to overtake Hamilton on the Hangar Straight on lap 8 and then pulled away to secure his first sprint victory. Once in the clear air, Antonelli was unbeatable, crossing the line 2.7 seconds ahead of Hamilton to claim top sprint points and consolidate his lead in the championship.Lando Norris recovered well to finish third, while George Russell narrowly missed the podium in fourth. Hamilton admitted changing wind conditions played a role in Antonelli’s decisive move, but Ferrari’s pace showed they were still a real contender heading into Grand Prix qualifying.
2026 Silverstone Sprint Rankings
| Location. | driver | team | number of laps | time/gap | integral |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Benz | No. 17 | 26:12.129 | 8 |
| 2 | lewis hamilton | ferrari | No. 17 | +2.745p | 7 |
| 3 | Lando Norris | mclaren | No. 17 | +9.783p | 6 |
| 4 | George Russell | Benz | No. 17 | +10.639 seconds | 5 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | ferrari | No. 17 | +12.620 feathers | 4 |
| 6 | Max Verstappen | red bull racing | No. 17 | +16,550 seconds | 3 |
| 7 | Oscar Piastri | mclaren | No. 17 | +17.551p | 2 |
| 8 | Liam Lawson | bulls | No. 17 | +30.233 feathers | 1 |
| 9 | Isaac Hajar | red bull racing | No. 17 | +30.953p | 0 |
| 10 | Arvid Lindblad | bulls | No. 17 | +35.110p | 0 |
| 11 | Pierre Gasly | alps | No. 17 | +40.273p | 0 |
| 12 | Franco Colapinto | alps | No. 17 | +41.026p | 0 |
| 13 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | No. 17 | +42.155 seconds | 0 |
| 14 | Gabriel Bortoletto | Audi | No. 17 | +43.882p | 0 |
| 15 | Oliver Bellman | Haas | No. 17 | +45.201p | 0 |
| 16 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | No. 17 | +46.331p | 0 |
| No. 17 | Carlos Sainz Jr. | williams | No. 17 | +48.910p | 0 |
| 18 | Alex Albon | williams | No. 17 | +49.441p | 0 |
| 19 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | No. 17 | +52.115p | 0 |
| 20 | fernando alonso | Aston Martin | No. 17 | +56.702p | 0 |
| twenty one | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | No. 17 | +58.339p | 0 |
| twenty two | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | No. 17 | +1:02.114 seconds | 0 |
Qualifying: Antonelli delivers another masterclass
With the sprint victory already secured, Antonelli entered qualifying with huge momentum. He once again put in a stunning performance, taking his fifth pole position of the season with a lap time of 1:28.111. Charles Leclerc gave Ferrari its strongest qualifying performance in weeks by finishing second, relegating teammate Lewis Hamilton to third.George Russell impressively recovered from an early mistake in Q1 to finish fourth, while Isaac Hajjar was in fine form again for Red Bull on Saturday to finish fifth. Lando Norris and Max Verstappen could only finish sixth and seventh respectively after struggling to find grip in changing wind conditions.Mercedes maintains its impressive record of pole position in every race in 2026, with Antonelli leading the way again.2026 British Grand Prix qualifying results (top 5)
| Location | driver | team | Season 3 time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Benz | 1:28.111 |
| 2 | Charles Leclerc | ferrari | 1:28.286 |
| 3 | lewis hamilton | ferrari | 1:28.458 |
| 4 | George Russell | Benz | 1:28.481 |
| 5 | Isaac Hajar | red bull racing | 1:28.746 |
Hamilton’s Silverstone revival
Few circuits are as suitable for Lewis Hamilton as Silverstone. The Ferrari driver topped practice, took sprint pole position, finished second in the sprint and finished third in Sunday’s Grand Prix qualifying. Home fans will be convinced that another victory at Silverstone is still just around the corner.
The race ahead
Everything points to another exciting Mercedes vs Ferrari showdown today at 7:30pm (IST) on Sunday. Antonelli started from pole position with confidence after winning the sprint race. Leclerc and Hamilton secured second and third positions for Ferrari.Russell will be hungry for a challenge after recovering from an eventful qualifying session. Verstappen and Norris, meanwhile, remain close enough that they can take advantage if strategy or a change in British weather shakes up the order. Silverstone rarely disappoints.
