Kimi Antonelli beats Ferrari duo to British Grand Prix pole at Silverstone

Kimi Antonelli made it count when it mattered most, beating the Ferraris to pole position at the British Grand Prix.

The championship leader clocked a 1:28.111 to take pole position by 0.175s ahead of Charles Leclerc while Lewis Hamilton was third fastest.

Russell survives a moment in the barrier to progress out of Q1

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Q1 began in blustery but sunny conditions with Carlos Sainz one of the first out with his Williams having undergone a big set-up changes between the earlier Sprint and Qualifying. However, a lock-up at Village cost the Williams driver, who lost his lap time.

Ferrari made it an early 1-2 with Charles Leclerc clocking a 1:29.5, a tenth up on Lewis Hamilton.

Lando Norris slotted in third place ahead of Max Verstappen, but neither Mercedes driver had yet to set a lap time. Kimi Antonelli went third on his first flying lap.

However, his teammate George Russell was nose-first in the barrier as he lost it at Luffield, went through the gravel, and broke his front wing against the barrier. The Briton locked up and understeered off the track.

“That was very weird, I’ve never locked up there in my whole career,” Russell said over the radio.

The Briton was in the drop zone without a time on the board with four minutes remaining in the session. So too was Gabriel Bortoleto, but unlike Russell, he was in the pits.

Franco Colapinto brought out a late yellow flag as he went screaming over the grass at Becketts, but got going again. “I lost it flat, completely lost the rear,” he said to Alpine.

Russell made it through with the eighth fastest time, with Isack Hadjar quickest of all with a 1:29.276.

Eliminated: Esteban Ocon, Valtteri Bottas, Franco Colapinto, Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso

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Oliver Bearman the first Brit eliminated in qualifying

The start of Q2 was delayed by a few minutes due to gravel on the track that the marshals had to sweep away.

Verstappen wasn’t happy as he left the Red Bull garage, reporting: “This engine is not responding as normal.” The Dutchman crossed the line with a 1:29.3, but was beaten by his teammate Hadjar.

Ferrari made it a 1-2 ahead of the Red Bulls with Hamilton two-tenths up on Leclerc, only for Russell to split the teammates.

Antonelli backed off on his opening lap after running wide at Village, but jumped up to third place on his first complete lap. Russell also had problems as he requested his second seat.

With three minutes to go, Nico Hulkenberg left the pits in his Audi, the German the only driver without a time on the board. Meanwhile, the McLaren teammates fell towards the drop zone.

Oscar Piastri rebounded but only into seventh place, while Norris dropped to ninth. That, though, proved to be enough for the Briton who made it into Q3.

Eliminated: Gabriel Bortoleto, Pierre Gasly, Nico Hulkenberg, Oliver Bearman, Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon.

Kimi Antonelli claims pole position for the British Grand Prix

The drivers left the pit lane almost wing to wing in Q3, including Lindblad despite the Racing Bulls driver having just one set of new soft tyres available.

Hamilton hit the front with a 1:28.5, 0.03s up on Leclerc.

But the Ferrari drivers were demoted by the Mercedes teammates as Antonelli hit the front with a 1:28.3, a tenth quicker than Russell.

Hadjar was fifth in the early running ahead of Verstappen.

The drivers ventured out for a second run with four minutes on the clock, Antonelli getting proceedings back underway. “Why am I first,” he said in frustration.

There was a moment in the pit lane with Lindblad and Piastri, with the Racing Bulls driver noted for an unsafe release that forced Piastri to hit the brakes.

Antonelli took two-tenths off his previous best to cross the line with a 1:28.1, Leclerc moved up to second place, Hamilton marginally improved but couldn’t take second away from his teammate,

British Grand Prix: Qualifying top ten

1 Antonelli Mercedes 1:28.111
2 Leclerc Ferrari 1:28.286
3 Hamilton Ferrari 1:28.458
4 Russell Mercedes 1:28.481
5 Hadjar Red Bull 1:28.746
6 Norris McLaren 1:28.877
7 Verstappen Red Bull 1:28.893
8 Piastri McLaren 1:29.032
9 Lindblad Racing Bulls 1:29.305
10 Lawson Racing Bulls 1:29.716

The full result from Qualifying at the British Grand Prix

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