Lewis Hamilton will start the Sprint at the 2026 FIA Formula 1 British Grand Prix from pole after beating Kimi Antonelli by 0.011s in a closely contested Sprint Qualifying session at Silverstone.

The Ferrari driver delivered a final lap of 1:28.376 in SQ3 to deny Mercedes’ Antonelli, with Max Verstappen taking third for Red Bull, 0.321s off the benchmark. Charles Leclerc placed fourth in the second Ferrari, ahead of George Russell, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

The opening 12-minute segment began quietly, with Cadillac the first team to send its drivers out on medium tyres. Ferrari and Mercedes soon joined the session, and Hamilton set the early reference with a 1:29.582, two tenths clear of Leclerc. Antonelli followed in third before times began to fall as the track improved.

Isack Hadjar briefly moved to the top on a 1:29.470, confirming Red Bull’s pace on the medium compound, while Piastri climbed to third and Verstappen slotted into the top six. Hamilton then improved to 1:29.273, with Leclerc second and Hadjar third, as the final laps decided the lower end of the order.

There was late pressure on Williams and Haas, with Oliver Bearman moving to 15th before Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon completed their final attempts. Albon rose to 14th, pushing Bearman out by 0.010s, while Sainz also progressed in 16th. Bearman was eliminated in 17th, ahead of team-mate Esteban Ocon, the Cadillacs of Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas, and the Aston Martins of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.

In SQ2, Nico Hülkenberg set the early midfield marker at 1:29.729 before Verstappen posted a 1:29.242, narrowly ahead of Hadjar. Piastri then moved fastest by two tenths, but Hamilton responded with a 1:28.747 to take provisional first place, 0.099s clear of Antonelli.

Leclerc placed third at that stage, with Lawson, Piastri, Verstappen and Lindblad also inside the top 10. Russell was briefly vulnerable, but improved to seventh after Audi failed to dislodge him. Norris progressed in 10th by 0.081s from Pierre Gasly, who was eliminated in 11th. Gabriel Bortoleto, Hülkenberg, Franco Colapinto, Sainz and Albon also dropped out.

All 10 SQ3 runners remained in the garage until the final minutes, committing to a single run. Piastri led the queue, followed by Lindblad, Norris and Lawson, before Antonelli, Leclerc, Hamilton, Verstappen, Hadjar and Russell joined the track.

Piastri set the first time at 1:28.772, only for Norris to move ahead by three hundredths. Antonelli then took over at the top, but Hamilton’s final lap proved decisive. Verstappen secured third, Leclerc fourth, and Russell fifth, with Norris sixth and Piastri seventh. Hadjar, Lawson and Lindblad completed the top 10.

2026 FIA Formula 1 British Grand Prix – Sprint Qualifying 
1 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:28.376 - -
2 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:28.387 0.011 
3 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Red Bull Ford 1:28.697 0.321 
4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:28.703 0.327 
5 George Russell Mercedes 1:28.733 0.357 
6 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:28.740 0.364 
7 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:28.772 0.396 
8 Isack Hadjar Red Bull/Red Bull Ford 1:28.835 0.459 
9 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Red Bull Ford 1:28.927 0.551 
10 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls/Red Bull Ford 1:29.367 0.991 
11 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Mercedes 1:29.482 1.106 
12 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi 1:29.679 1.303 
13 Nico Hülkenberg Audi 1:29.707 1.331 
14 Franco Colapinto Alpine/Mercedes 1:29.983 1.607 
15 Carlos Sainz Williams/Mercedes 1:30.197 1.821 
16 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:30.650 2.274 
17 Oliver Bearman Haas/Ferrari 1:31.083 2.707 
18 Esteban Ocon Haas/Ferrari 1:31.714 3.338 
19 Sergio Pérez Cadillac/Ferrari 1:31.776 3.400 
20 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac/Ferrari 1:32.020 3.644 
21 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Honda 1:32.910 4.534 
22 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Honda 1:32.988 4.612