Antonelli Wins British Grand Prix Sprint at Silverstone
Kimi Antonelli won the British Grand Prix sprint race at Silverstone on Saturday, crossing the line 2.745 seconds ahead of Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton. Lando Norris completed the podium in third for McLaren, while George Russell recovered from a difficult sprint qualifying session to finish fourth for Mercedes. Charles Leclerc was fifth for Ferrari. Sergio Perez received a time penalty for colliding with Fernando Alonso early in the race and finished at the back of the field. The result moved Antonelli to 179 points in the Drivers' Championship, 43 clear of Mercedes teammate Russell heading into Sunday's main British Grand Prix.
Antonelli Claims British Grand Prix Pole with 1m28.111s Lap
Kimi Antonelli secured pole position for Sunday's British Grand Prix with a lap of 1m28.111 seconds in Saturday qualifying at Silverstone. Charles Leclerc qualified second for Ferrari, 0.175 seconds off the pace, while Lewis Hamilton placed third, 0.347 seconds adrift. George Russell qualified fourth despite recovering from a crash at Luffield corner that caused front wing damage earlier in the session, just 0.370 seconds behind Antonelli. Lando Norris qualified sixth for McLaren, 0.766 seconds off pole, with the team struggling for downforce and carrying excess drag at the British circuit. Teammate Oscar Piastri qualified eighth.
Norris Admits McLaren ‘In a Pickle’ After Qualifying Sixth at Silverstone
Lando Norris acknowledged McLaren's difficulties at Silverstone after qualifying sixth for the British Grand Prix, 0.766 seconds behind Kimi Antonelli's pole time. The British driver said the car felt 'pretty shocking' following damage sustained during sprint qualifying, pointing to a lack of downforce and too much drag as the team's core problems at the circuit. Teammate Oscar Piastri qualified eighth. The session leaves McLaren facing a tough race on Sunday, with Norris fourth in the Drivers' Championship with 85 points — 94 behind championship leader Antonelli — and Piastri fifth with 80 points.
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Russell Crashes at Luffield in Qualifying but Salvages Silverstone Weekend
George Russell crashed his Mercedes at Luffield corner during sprint qualifying at the British Grand Prix, locking up into the barrier and sustaining front wing damage. The British driver recovered to finish fourth in Saturday's sprint race behind winner Kimi Antonelli. Russell then produced a strong lap in regular qualifying to secure fourth on the Sunday grid, 0.370 seconds behind Antonelli's pole time. The strong recovery lifted Russell to 136 points in the Drivers' Championship, second overall, though 43 points behind championship leader and Mercedes teammate Antonelli. Russell starts the British Grand Prix from fourth on the grid.
Lawson Keeps Sprint Point After Stewards Issue Warning Over Hadjar Incident
Liam Lawson retained his eighth-place finish in the British Grand Prix sprint race after stewards investigated the Racing Bulls driver for an alleged abnormal change of direction that nearly blocked Red Bull's Isack Hadjar on the penultimate lap. The stewards accepted Lawson's explanation that he was still at full throttle when the defensive move was made and had not yet begun braking. Crucially, Hadjar himself told the stewards the incident did not merit a sporting penalty, and the two drivers' differing energy states made the closing speed difficult to judge. Lawson kept his single sprint point and remains tenth in the championship with 31 points.
Winners and Losers from the 2026 Silverstone Sprint Race
The Race assessed the key talking points from Saturday's British Grand Prix sprint at Silverstone. Kimi Antonelli emerged as the clear winner with a dominant display. Sergio Perez was among the notable losers after colliding with Fernando Alonso at Turn 3 on lap two — a 10-second time penalty dropping him to last place, over 11 seconds behind Lance Stroll. The analysis also highlighted the ongoing debate over whether the 2026 regulations' battery management emphasis has led to more processional racing. Liam Lawson's defensive drive to hold eighth place from Isack Hadjar was among the subplots covered in the detailed review.
Hamilton Thanks Silverstone Fans After Sprint Podium at Former Home Circuit
Lewis Hamilton expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Silverstone crowd after finishing second in Saturday's British Grand Prix sprint race, describing the experience as a 'dream.' The seven-time champion, in his first season at Ferrari after departing Mercedes, was beaten only by championship leader Kimi Antonelli, crossing the line 2.745 seconds behind the Italian. The sprint podium lifted Hamilton to 132 points in the Drivers' Championship, third overall and four points behind second-placed George Russell. Hamilton's emotional response to the home crowd's reception made for one of the weekend's most memorable moments at Silverstone.
Domenicali Hopes to Restore Cancelled Bahrain GP to 2026 Calendar Before July 26
Formula 1 president Stefano Domenicali has confirmed hope of restoring one of the two cancelled Middle East races — with reports pointing to the Bahrain Grand Prix — to the 2026 calendar. Both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were removed from the schedule due to ongoing regional conflict. Domenicali said at the British Grand Prix weekend that any decision must be made before the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 26, which precedes the summer break. A potential October slot has been identified. The two cancellations reduced the 2026 season from 24 to 22 races, and Domenicali confirmed the sport is working to restore at least one of the vacant rounds.
Sources: Sky Sports Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Drivers' Championship
1. Kimi Antonelli — 179 pts
2. George Russell — 136 pts
3. Lewis Hamilton — 132 pts
4. Lando Norris — 85 pts
5. Charles Leclerc — 83 pts
6. Oscar Piastri — 80 pts
7. Max Verstappen — 73 pts
8. Isack Hadjar — 42 pts
9. Pierre Gasly — 41 pts
10. Liam Lawson — 31 pts
11. Oliver Bearman — 18 pts
12. Franco Colapinto — 16 pts
13. Arvid Lindblad — 14 pts
14. Carlos Sainz — 6 pts
15. Alex Albon — 5 pts
16. Esteban Ocon — 3 pts
17. Gabriel Bortoleto — 2 pts
18. Fernando Alonso — 1 pt
19. Nico Hülkenberg — 0 pts
20. Sergio Pérez — 0 pts
21. Valtteri Bottas — 0 pts
22. Lance Stroll — 0 pts
Constructors' Championship
1. Mercedes — 315 pts
2. Ferrari — 215 pts
3. McLaren — 167 pts
4. Red Bull — 118 pts
5. Alpine — 57 pts
6. Racing Bulls — 45 pts
7. Haas — 21 pts
8. Williams — 11 pts
9. Audi — 2 pts
10. Aston Martin — 1 pt
11. Cadillac — 0 pts
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