Formula 1 heads to Great Britain this weekend for round nine of the 2026 F1 season with Lewis Hamilton looking challenge the might of Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes.
The Ferrari driver capitalised on a thrilling Friday to finish sprint qualifying on pole ahead of Antonelli and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen but he had couldn’t hold on during the race. Antonelli caught him on Hanger straight on lap nine of 17 and claimed a sprint race victory for the very first time.
Hamilton, who has won a record nine times around Silverstone, will look to impress in qualifying and possibly secure another pole position while Antonelli has his sights on another grand prix win.
His Mercedes teammate, George Russell, finished fourth in the sprint behind McLaren’s Lando Norris and must find some speed if he is to keep up the pace in qualifying this afternoon.
Follow the British Grand Prix with The Independent.
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F1 BRITISH GP - LATEST UPDATES
- Round nine of the 2026 F1 season takes place in Great Britain
- Kimi Antonelli wins sprint race and extends championship lead
- Lewis Hamilton finishes second with Lando Norris third
- Qualifying also takes place on Saturday afternoon at 4pm
- Five British drivers on the grid including Hamilton, George Russell and Lando Norris
- Antonelli leads standings by 43 points ahead of Mercedes teammate Russell
Qualifying happening soon
15:50 , Mike JonesThere’s still a 10 minutes or so to go until qualifying begins.
Little work has been done on Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari as it performs well in qualifying though tweaks will need to be made for the race tomorrow.
Work has been done on Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes as well as Lando Norris’ McLaren.
It should be a fascinating qualifying session. Let’s see who lands on pole.
Have other teams gained on Mercedes?
15:45 , Mike JonesGeorge Russell is unsure.
He said: "It was a bit of a surprise [the peformance of other teams]. But I think in the race, if I could've held on to P3 after lap one, I think I would've comfortably finished P3.
"For sure, some of the opponents have moved forward a little bit. But I think in the race pace, we still have a little bit extra."
Russell rues lack of pace
15:40 , Mike JonesGeorge Russell has been confuddled by his car for most of the season despite picking up wins in Australia and Austria.
He’s down on pace compared to teammate Kimi Antonelli though.
Speaking after sprint qualifying yesterday he said: “It’s kind of the story of the year, to be honest – always on the back foot.
“Usually come Q3 I can generally make a step, but today was not quite the case. It was very close to P3 but it’s still very much off the pace of Lewis and Kimi, so I need to try and understand why that is. It’s a bit strange.”
Russell on 'pretty cool' sprint
15:35 , Mike JonesGeorge Russell finished fourth in the sprint and managed to perform some strong overtakes, especially on the first lap.
"The end of lap one was pretty cool: overtaking two cars in two corners,” he said.
“But then with the energy battle, it's quite difficult. Qualifying, I think, is key.
“If I was a couple of places higher up the order, it would've been a different race."
La Decima for Lewis? Hamilton eyes 10th British GP victory in ‘unprecedented’ Silverstone weekend
15:30 , Kieran JacksonFor a Formula 1 driver who for so many years has transcended his sport with his glitzy exuberance, outlandish outfits and celebrity appeal, nothing lights the fire in Lewis Hamilton more than a simple July weekend in the Northamptonshire countryside.
Since cruelly missing out on an eighth world title in 2021, Hamilton has only taken the grand prix chequered flag in first place on track twice: once was last month in Barcelona, the second was at Silverstone with a masterful drive in 2024. A third win, in Spa two years ago, was decided in the stewards' room.
La Decima for Lewis? Hamilton eyes 10th Silverstone win on ‘unprecedented’ weekend
'Pretty chaotic'
15:25 , Mike JonesOscar Piastri, meanwhile, described the sprint race as ‘pretty chaotic’ with drivers aggressively going for the overtake.
"It was hard to work out what was happening in the car,” he said.
“Just trying to avoid crashing into the back of people. Pretty chaotic, definitely a few things we can do better."
Vasseur responds to Wolff's upgrade comments
15:20 , Mike JonesMercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff remarked that Ferrari must ‘be running out of cost cap soon’ during the Austrian Grand Prix following upgrades to the cars of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
Those upgrades include an update to the power unit.
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur responded to Wolff’s comments saying: "You are referring to the comments of Toto?
"I found it quite ironic from Toto, coming from Toto and Mercedes. When Red Bull is developing or when Mercedes is developing, they are genius, when we are developing we are cheating.
“I think you have to calm down with this, that we didn't bring more parts than Red Bull or another team. I don't know if it was a joke."
Norris 'happy' with sprint race
15:15 , Mike JonesLando Norris spoke about his performance in the sprint earlier today saying: "I had a very good launch, a good opening lap.
“There was some good battles with George and Max. It was well fought, better than I was expecting. I'm very happy with today."
George Russell has belief after Austria win
15:10 , Mike JonesMercedes’ George Russell has grown in belief following his last two results in Barcelona and Austria.
Speaking after his victory in the latter Grand Prix, Russell said: “It’s incredible to be back on the top step.
“It has been a little while, so I am going to enjoy it this evening. Max was incredibly quick so kudos to them. It was toasty out there so I am looking forward to a drink now.
“The tough races test you psychologically, and the last two weekends have been important to remind myself I can do it.”
Hamilton speaking ahead of qualifying
15:05 , Mike Jones"They've [Mercedes] won pretty much everything so far so yes, that's not changed, we've still got work to do,” said the Ferrari driver.
"I gave it absolutely everything today, squeezed everything out of the car. The straights is where we lost it today."
When is the British Grand Prix?
15:00 , Mike JonesAll times BST
Saturday 4 July
- Qualifying: 4pm
Sunday 5 July
- Race: 3pm
Damon Hill backs British drivers to cope with extra pressure at Silverstone
14:50 , Mike JonesDamon Hill says British drivers at Silverstone are under enormous pressure but believes the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris have learned how to “give the fans what they want”.
A record-breaking 565,000 fans are expected to descend on the British Grand Prix this weekend, packing out the grandstands to roar on their favourite drivers.
Damon Hill backs British drivers to cope with extra pressure at Silverstone
What is Piastri expecting from British GP?
14:40 , Mike Jones“Difficult to know,” admitted the McLaren driver. “I think everyone is a little up and down at the moment apart from Mercedes, they are the constant challenge at the very front.
“Austria was hard to read for us. Qualifying [we] thought we would be stronger, in the race maybe we thought we'd be a bit worse.
“Ferrari we thought would be a lot stronger on Sunday than they were. Max was a lot quicker than we thought. It's changing a lot at the moment from track to track with upgrades.
“I think we should be somewhere near the front, where exactly I don't know but we're still missing that final step to really challenge for wins [and] as long as we put our best foot forward, I think we're in the running for hopefully podiums.”
Piastri and McLaren 'very happy'
14:30 , Mike JonesAmid rumours that Max Verstappen could make a switch to McLaren, Oscar Piastri is adamant that his relationship with the team is going well.
On the rumours over a Max switch, Piastri said: “It doesn't really mean much to me. I think Max doesn't need to be spoken about much in terms of his talent.
“I've got a contract in place, multiple reassurances that the team are very happy with me and I'm very happy with the team.
“For me, I'm very happy where I am and very happy with the situation I'm in. Just trying to continue the success that we've had in the last few years.”
Lando Norris would relish Max Verstappen rivalry at McLaren
14:20 , Mike JonesLando Norris believes he could beat Max Verstappen in the same car after rumours linking the four-time world champion with a move to McLaren.
The Dutchman’s future has been the subject of speculation throughout the season, with a combination of Red Bull struggles and a fierce dissatisfaction with the sport’s new rules contributing to his unhappiness.
I can beat anyone: Lando Norris would relish Max Verstappen rivalry at McLaren
Red Bull still trailing Mercedes admits Verstappen
14:10 , Mike JonesThe four-time F1 champion also admitted that Red Bull were still behind Mercedes in terms of development despite closing the gap.
"You need a strong engine but you also need good battery power. At the end of the day it's two different things," said Verstappen.
"I think our car is not really one area where we are lacking, it's just sometimes you lack in the low speed, the high speed.
"Probably sometimes a bit of a balance thing as well with setup, but again here everything will feel so different because of a lack of energy that you can use."
Red Bull aiming to optimise their car
14:00 , Mike Jones"We have made good progress but it's like that the whole season so far,” Max Verstappen said of Red Bull’s resurgence in Austria.
“One team bringing quite a big upgrade, they jump ahead, then another team comes they go forward again.
"Just need to be aware that can happen again with other teams. We just keep focusing on our own package, try to optimise that further and see if we can have more results like that [Austria]."
Silverstone braced for record-breaking British Grand Prix crowd
13:50 , Mike JonesThe boss of Silverstone said he is “absolutely ready” to drive this weekend’s British Grand Prix into the history books as the most-attended Formula One event ever seen.
It is anticipated that an extraordinary 565,000 spectators will descend on Silverstone across the weekend for the ninth round of the season which will eclipse the sport’s 31-year record – held by the Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide – by 45,000.
Silverstone braced for record-breaking British Grand Prix crowd
Hamilton reflects on Austria GP
13:40 , Mike JonesLewis Hamilton followed up his win in Barcelona with a fifth place finish in Austria.
Speaking of the last GP he reflected: “Obviously we had some great performances before, but the fact is, as you can see in the race, we lose quite a lot of time – I think it's like four tenths of a lap we lose in a straight line, so it's hard to recover that through corners,
“I think we've got a great car, fundamentally. We've just got to continue to work until we maximise what we can and get the best results we can, and score as many points as we can until we can close that deficit.”
Meet the new George Russell – the F1 title favourite ready to become a champion
13:30 , Mike JonesBeyond the months of paddock mumbling and opaque pre-season testing statistics, perhaps the most pertinent evidence of Mercedes’ confidence ahead of the new Formula 1 season came with a strut and a swagger at a team “kick-off” event early on Thursday morning in Melbourne.
Hosted at Mercedes’s shiny AMG Lounge on the outside of turn 10 at Albert Park, 19-year-old driver Kimi Antonelli smiled and shook hands with the media gathered. And George Russell, in year five at the Silver Arrows and his second as de facto team leader, was equanimity personified as he shrugged off suggestions of “pressure” as this year’s F1 title favourite.
Meet the new George Russell – the F1 title favourite ready to become a champion
British GP sprint race
13:29 , Mike JonesKimi Antonelli finished first in the British GP sprint race with Lewis Hamilton second and Lando Norris third.
Verstappen not happy
13:26 , Mike Jones"Too slow, we were dragging more than the cars around me,” said Max Verstappen after slipping from third to sixth in the sprint.
"We were destroyed in the high speed and losing more to try and keep up with them."
Norris on finishing P3
13:20 , Mike Jones"There are a couple of little things we can certainly do better for later [qualifying], and better into tomorrow but no, it was a good race, good points,” said McLaren’s Lando Norris after finishing P3 in the sprint race.
"I gave it everything I could because George [Russell] was catching me pretty quickly at the end. It was a good race and congrats to these two as well."
Hamilton on Antonelli's overtake
13:14 , Mike Jones"Mercedes are particularly quick up to Turn Six, so I had to use the boost there,” explained Lewis Hamilton.
“Once Antonelli got the overtake mode, I couldn't hold him back. I knew he was coming.”
Hamilton reacts to sprint race defeat
13:08 , Mike Jones"Big thank you for everyone that's here. The crowd is amazing. It's the most energy I've seen in the pit lane before,” said Lewis Hamilton at the conclusion of the sprint race.
"Tough race to keep the Mercedes behind. I did say that was potentially the case yesterday and obviously with it being so windy today, a big, big headwind down the back straight, he came flying past.
“I was pushing as hard as I could, I gave it absolutely everything. But well done to Kimi and we've got work to do to try and close that gap so we can keep up."
'We can't let our guard down'
13:02 , Mike JonesMercedes know that Ferrari are closing the gap to them but they remain the quickest drivers on track.
Antonelli said: “The momentum is there and we're doing a great job together with the team.
“But of course, we can't let our guard down, or lower, because Lewis and Ferrari are doing an incredible job, Red Bull and McLaren are coming, and also George [Russell] is super-quick. So we just need to keep raising the bar and keep delivering performances."
Most sprint reaction from Antonelli
12:58 , Mike JonesKimi Antonelli won the sprint race for Mercedes and things are looking strong for his chances in tomorrow’s race.
Reacting to the battle with Lewis Hamilton he said: "It was a very fun first laps with Lewis [Hamilton]. We were pushing very hard.
"When I got into overtake, I knew my chance was coming. And then out of [Turn] Four, that lap was very close.; I went alongisde at Brooklands and used the boost and I tried to wait and obviously got into Stowe and used everything I had, then I was able to overtake.
"From that point on, I just tried to get into my rhythm and tried to break the overtake that he had and then just tried to bring it home.”
Here are the finishing times for the sprint race
12:52 , Mike Jones1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) - 1:31.607
2. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +2.745
3. Lando Norris (McLaren) +9.783
4. George Russell (Mercedes) +10.639
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +12.620
6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +16.550
7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +17.551
8. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) +30.233
9. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) +30.953
10. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) +35.110
F1 standings after British GP sprint as Kimi Antonelli increases championship lead
12:45 , Mike JonesKimi Antonelli fought back to claim victory in the British Grand Prix sprint race to extend his lead over George Russell and Lewis Hamilton on the drivers’ championship.
Hamilton started the race on pole position and held the Mercedes of Antonelli at bay through the opening lap with the other cars scrapping for position behind them.
F1 standings after British GP sprint as Kimi Antonelli increases championship lead
Hamilton reacts to sprint finish
12:38 , Mike Jones“The crowd is amazing here!” Hamilton reflected.
“A tough race to keep the Mercedes behind. I was pushing as hard as I could, I gave it everything.
“Well done to Kimi.”
British GP sprint race result
12:34 , Mike Jones1. Kimi Antonelli - 8
2. Lewis Hamilton -7
3. Lando Norris - 6
4. George Russell - 5
5. Charles Leclerc - 4
6. Max Verstappen - 3
7. Oscar Piastri - 2
8. Liam Lawson - 1
Kimi Antonelli wins British GP sprint!
12:31 , Mike JonesAntonelli does it!
He crosses the line as the youngest ever sprint race winner with Lewis Hamilton in second.
Lando Norris raced brilliantly to take third.
Final lap
12:30 , Mike JonesLewis Hamilton is now 2.5 seconds behind Kimi Antonelli and that’s too big a gap to launch a counter-attack.
Antonelli is going to win this sprint race ahead of Hamilton...
Hamilton not gaining
12:26 , Mike JonesThe Ferrari is trying to maximise his battery power for a push later in the race and isn’t gaining on Antonelli.
The gap is 1.5 seconds but it’ll be a decision on whether to go for the win or not.
Will Hamilton push?
Battle for fourth
12:23 , Mike JonesGeorge Russell has eyes on Lando Norris ahead of him but he’s got to defend against Charles Leclerc as well.
Things have settled down a bit now but the gaps are close enough for a bit more drama yet.
Four laps to go.
Leclerc takes on Verstappen
12:20 , Mike JonesMax Verstappen has put in a good race after dropping positions from the start.
But, he can’t stop the speed of Russell and Leclerc reining him in and he drops to sixth.
Antonelli’s lead is over one second up top and Hamilton has work to do to catch him.
Antonelli pushing
12:17 , Mike JonesKimi Antonelli is pushing for the overtake. Hamilton forces him to go wide after the Wellington straight and there’s not enough time for Antonelli to get round.
Antonelli goes first!
Later in the lap, Antonelli uses the extra boost and takes advantage. He goes past Hamilton on the Hanger straight.
Antonelli leads!
A two-horse race
12:14 , Mike JonesThis is a two-horse race now between Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli.
They’re over six seconds ahead of Lando Norris in third.
It’s going to come down to who can hold their nerve and time their moves better.
10 laps to go...
A wild opening
12:12 , Mike JonesThat first lap was crazy. So much overtaking, so much aggression, great racing.
George Russell is complaining about losing time.
Mercedes are working on the strategy for Antonelli to take on Hamilton.
The Ferrari has just set the fastest lap of the race.
Aggressive overtaking
12:11 , Mike JonesVerstappen, Russell, Leclerc and Piastri are all trying to jostle for the best position.
Leclerc goes around the McLaren and is chasing down Russell.
Up ahead, Antonelli is closing on Hamilton. Can Hamilton defend?
Space in front
12:09 , Mike JonesThere’s a bit of space out front for Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli.
Lando Norris is third but is five seconds behind the Mercedes.
Antonelli has cut the gap to Hamilton to less than a second after four laps.
13 to go.
Hamilton leads!
12:08 , Mike JonesThat’s a crazy first lap but the crucial moment was Hamilton nudging ahead of Antonelli and avoiding the fighting for space behind.
The Ferrari is 1.1 seconds ahead of Antonelli.
Behind them Max Verstappen is up to fourth after taking on Russell who was overtaken by Norris.
Piastri and Leclerc have dropped to fifth and sixth.
Norris takes Antonelli!
12:06 , Mike JonesLando Norris has overtaken Kimi Antonelli!
But, he doesn’t hold it for long as the Mercedes sweeps past him again heading towards the end of the first lap.
George Russell comes fighting back too and squeezes around Piastri before taking on Norris and getting around him as well!
Verstappen drops back!
12:05 , Mike JonesMax Verstappen has already lost three paces as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri move up for McLaren.
George Russell is overtaken too!
Green light!
12:04 , Mike JonesThe lights go out for the sprint race at the British Grand Prix!
Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli fly off the front row but it’s Hamilton who races across the 650m to the first corner quickest.
He turns in ahead of Antonelli and has keeps the lead. Can he hold it for 17 laps?
Top 10 line up for the sprint
11:59 , Mike Jones1. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
2. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
5. George Russell (Mercedes)
6. Lando Norris (McLaren)
7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
8. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)
9. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
10. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)
British GP sprint race
11:58 , Mike JonesThe sun is shining at Silverstone and the conditions are perfect for this sprint.
Alex Albon is starting from the pit lane after making changes to his engine ahead of this sprint race.
Sprint race start approaching
11:55 , Mike JonesOkay, let’s get stuck into the first action of the day from the British Grand Prix.
The sprint race is beginning in a few minutes’ time.
Lewis Hamilton is on pole ahead of Kimi Antonelli. Will one of those two drivers win the race or can a challenge be launched from further back?
We’ll find out shortly....
Record crowds expected at Silverstone
11:49 , Mike JonesThe British GP this weekend is expected to experience a record crowd across the three days of racing action.
Silverstone chief executive Stuart Pringle told the Press Association: “What does it mean to be hosting the largest Grand Prix ever? It feels entirely appropriate for the place which ran the first round in Formula One in 1950.
“The British fanbase and the history of strong attendance makes it fitting that it is us (that breaks the record), and it reinforces how important the British market is to Formula One. This is a very big race in the calendar.
“We are absolutely ready. The whole thing has got an air of polish to it. We have been building up year-on-year, but this feels like a big step forward for me.”
How will Verstappen go?
11:43 , Mike JonesMax Verstappen claimed a podium place in Austria last time out to raise questions about how close Red Bull are to competing with Mercedes and Ferrari.
If Verstappen can follow up the Austrian result with a strong performance this weekend it could send shockwaves through the grid with plenty of race weekends left in the season.
He finished in P3 during sprint qualifying yesterday but will Red Bull have the pace to challenge Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari and Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes?
Antonelli on Austria GP result
11:37 , Mike JonesMercedes’ Kimi Antonelli also reflected on his third place finish in Austria.
“In Austria I think I lost the race in the first stint with the first laps going off.
“I struggled with the brakes and lost a lot of time, so I feel like obviously without that it would have given me a better chance to fight for the victory, or at least for P2.
“For sure it's been, let's not say a difficult couple of races because still we were up there, but definitely looking forward to this weekend to put things more together and maximise better the result.”
Antonelli has 'fire inside' after poor two weeks
11:31 , Mike JonesF1 drivers’ championship leader Kimi Antonelli says he has a ‘fire inside’ of him following a lean two weeks which have seen his rivals reduce the deficit in the standings.
“I have a big fire inside me because I think the last two races obviously didn't go well, considering the pace we had,” Antonelli said at Thursday’s media day ahead of the British GP.
“I think in Barcelona, the race was going well but obviously we had the issue which was unfortunate.
“In Austria I felt very good in the car, but in Qualifying I relaxed a little bit too much during the session and just didn't extract the best out of the car, the tyres. And then obviously there was the thing with the yellow flag, which George managed well – he did what he had to do.”
F1 drivers to parade in Lego cars at Silverstone before British Grand Prix
11:25 , Mike JonesFormula One drivers are set to trade their usual high-performance vehicles for an altogether more whimsical mode of transport this Sunday, as they embark on a unique parade lap at Silverstone in mini-cars constructed entirely from Lego bricks.
F1 drivers to parade in Lego cars at Silverstone before British Grand Prix
Constructor standings ahead of British GP
11:19 , Mike Jones1. Mercedes - 302 points
2. Ferrari - 204 points
3. McLaren - 159 points
4. Red Bull - 115 points
5. Alpine - 57 points
6. Racing Bulls - 44 points
7. Haas - 21 points
8. Williams - 11 points
9. Audi - 2 points
10. Aston Martin - 1 point
11. Cadillac - 0 points
Driver standings ahead of British GP
11:13 , Mike Jones1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) - 171 points
2. George Russell (Mercedes) - 131 points
3. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) - 125 points
4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) - 80 points
5. Lando Norris (McLaren) - 79 points
6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 79 points
7. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 73 points
8. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) - 42 points
9. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) - 41 points
10. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) - 30 points
11. Ollie Bearman (Haas) - 18 points
12. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) - 16 points
13. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) -14 points
14. Carlos Sainz (Williams) - 6 points
15. Alex Albon (Williams) - 5 points
15. Esteban Ocon (Haas) - 3 points
17. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) - 2 points
18. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) - 1 point
19. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) - 0 points
20. Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) - 0 points
21. Sergio Perez (Cadillac) - 0 points
22. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) - 0 points
How can I watch it online and on TV?
11:07 , Mike JonesThe British Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom. Sky’s coverage of Friday’s sprint qualifying race starting at 3:35 pm (BST).
Sky Sports subscribers can watch all the action from Silverstone on the Sky Go app. If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.
In the United States, every practice, qualifying and race session will be streamed on Apple TV this year. You can stream Apple TV for FREE, with Apple TV’s seven-day free trial.
La Decima for Lewis? Hamilton eyes 10th British GP victory in ‘unprecedented’ Silverstone weekend
11:04 , Kieran JacksonFor a Formula 1 driver who for so many years has transcended his sport with his glitzy exuberance, outlandish outfits and celebrity appeal, nothing lights the fire in Lewis Hamilton more than a simple July weekend in the Northamptonshire countryside.
Since cruelly missing out on an eighth world title in 2021, Hamilton has only taken the grand prix chequered flag in first place on track twice: once was last month in Barcelona, the second was at Silverstone with a masterful drive in 2024. A third win, in Spa two years ago, was decided in the stewards' room.
La Decima for Lewis? Hamilton eyes 10th Silverstone win on ‘unprecedented’ weekend
British Grand Prix
11:01 , Mike JonesFormula 1 heads to Silverstone in Great Britain for round nine of the 2026 F1 season in a sprint weekend that could play a key role in the drivers’ championship title race.
Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli still leads the way but since claiming a fifth consecutive victory with a victory in Monaco the impressive 19-year-old has seen his lead cut to 40 points.
A DNF in Barcelona helped Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton close the gap, as the seven-time champion claimed a first grand prix win for the Italian team, before Antonelli’s Mercedes teammate George Russell earned victory at the Austrain Grand Prix last time out.
Antonelli limited that damage with a place on the podium but it was the eye-raising performance of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who swept through to finish second, that makes the prospect of three teams competing at the top such an exciting one as F1 descends on Silverstone.
Antonelli came close
10:55 , Mike Jones"It was so close, it was a shame," the 19-year-old said of sprint qualifying.
"In SQ1 I felt a bit bad but we made a slight balance adjustment for SQ2 and it felt night and day, and we were back in the pace.
"SQ3, there was a little bit left on the table on the last lap, and super-close to Lewis, but of course, congrats to him and we'll focus on [the sprint race] now."
Antonelli leads the championship
10:52 , Mike JonesHe may be starting P2 for the sprint race today but Kimi Antonelli is leading the drivers’ championship.
He’s 40 points ahead of Mercedes teammate George Russell but perhaps the biggest threat comes from Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton and Russell are two of five British drivers on the grid for the British GP this weekend.
The others are Lando Norris of McLaren, Arivd Lindblad of Racing Bulls and Ollie Bearman of Haas.
More thoughts from Hamilton
10:49 , Mike Jones"I think our pace was good. It was a short-ish long run in FP1; there was not a lot of time," the Ferrari driver said.
"But the car felt good there, so yeah, I think we should have a good race [in the sprint].
"And from the front - I don't rememeber the last time I started from the front row.
“It's not so easy when you've got these guys who can follow and be close with the extra power potentially. I'll do my best to keep them behind."
Lewis Hamilton on winning pole position
10:43 , Mike Jones"I can't express to you how big a dream it is, still to this day, building up to this day. When you think about every corner and the kind of the flow you can get into at this track, and if you've got the set-up right and the right team," said Hamilton after sprint qualifying.
"The car has felt really great today - thanks to everyone back at the factory. We're continuing to push, bringing tiny little bits here. Every single weekend we're showing up and everyone has pushed to the max.
"I'm really grateful to get that pole. I was quick through all the sessions, but I was very close to these guys and the team really deserves it, so big thank you to everyone here.
"We're ahead of the Mercedes and the Red Bulls - these guys have so much power, they've been doing amazing all year. The boys in blue [Mercedes] this weekend but my team just won't let up, that's what I'm so proud of.
“It won't always be like this. We didn't expect at Silverstone that we would be competing for the front row. We really didn't, so this is an amazing surprise."
Lewis Hamilton clinches pole position for British GP sprint race ahead of Kimi Antonelli
10:37 , Mike JonesLewis Hamilton claimed a remarkable pole position for Saturday’s sprint race at the British Grand Prix after a thrilling Friday at Silverstone saw him top the leaderboard through practice and each of the three qualifying sessions.
Hamilton’s victory at the Barcelona Grand Prix two weeks ago - his first in Ferrari red - has lit a fire under the seven-time Formula 1 champion who is seeking to close the gap on the drivers’ championship leader Kimi Antonelli. Hamilton, who finished fifth in Austria last time out, seemed to feed off the energy of his home crowd as he came out onto track with focus and intensity.
Hamilton clinches pole position for British GP sprint race ahead of Antonelli
When is the British Grand Prix?
10:31 , Mike JonesAll times BST
Saturday 4 July
- Sprint race: 12pm
- Qualifying: 4pm
Sunday 5 July
- Race: 3pm
Good morning!
10:25 , Mike JonesWelcome to The Independent’s coverage of today’s Formula 1 action as the British Grand Prix continues.
Friday saw some thrilling action as Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton clinched pole position ahead of Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes.
That is for today’s sprint race which kicks off proceedings ahead of full qualifying for Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Ferrari have looked in good touch but can Mercedes bounce back in the two competitive races that matter?
