Kimi Antonelli secured pole position at the 2026 Formula 1® British Grand Prix qualifying session held at Silverstone, marking his fifth pole of the season. His best lap time of 1:28.111 was enough to keep Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in second place, just 0.175 seconds behind. Lewis Hamilton completed the top three, with teammate George Russell qualifying fourth despite an off-track incident earlier in the session.
The qualifying session highlighted Mercedes’ continued strength in one-lap pace this year, with Antonelli and Hamilton maintaining their unbeaten record in grand prix qualifying. Antonelli’s pole was his first since the Monaco Grand Prix, showing a return to form after a brief gap. Leclerc’s performance kept Ferrari close, while Russell’s fourth place came after a gravel excursion in Q1 that damaged his front wing but did not prevent him from advancing comfortably.
Behind the front runners, Red Bull Racing’s Isack Hadjar qualified fifth, followed by McLaren’s Lando Norris in sixth. Max Verstappen faced power unit deployment issues that limited his qualifying performance, resulting in a seventh-place start. Oscar Piastri, also from McLaren, struggled with grip and balance but secured eighth on the grid. Racing Bulls locked out the fifth row with Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson qualifying ninth and tenth respectively.
Other teams faced challenges during the session. Gabriel Bortoleto of Audi narrowly missed out on Q3 by 0.032 seconds and dealt with a gearbox issue during qualifying. Alpine had a difficult time, with Pierre Gasly qualifying 12th and teammate Franco Colapinto spinning and finishing 19th. Haas driver Oliver Bearman outqualified teammate Esteban Ocon, who was 17th. Williams continued to struggle, with Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon qualifying 15th and 16th respectively.
The session was affected by tricky gusty conditions, with crosswinds impacting drivers’ performances throughout qualifying. George Russell’s off-track moment in Q1 was a notable incident but did not prevent him from reaching Q3. Max Verstappen’s power unit problems limited his ability to improve in the final phase of qualifying.
Mercedes’ qualifying pace remains a strong feature of the 2026 season, with Antonelli’s pole at Silverstone reinforcing their advantage in single-lap speed. The close times from Ferrari’s Leclerc and Hamilton show the ongoing competition at the front, while Red Bull and McLaren face varying challenges as the championship progresses. The qualifying results set the grid for the British Grand Prix, reflecting the current form and technical situations of the teams and drivers involved.
