SILVERSTONE is packed with F1 fans ahead of Sunday’s British Grand Prix.
We’ve a weekend of exciting racing ahead, with Lewis Hamilton looking to continue his stunning record at this track and stop the Red Bull charge.
And the Brit champion has pole for Saturday’s sprint after a terrific drive during qualifying.
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LEW LOST HIS VOICE
Emotional Lewis Hamilton says he lost his voice amid the excitement of an 86,000-crowd returning to Silverstone and winning pole position.
Britain’s world champ said: “We have been missing this for a whole years, I have lost my voice a little.
I am so grateful to see everyone here. To come to Silverstone and have a full crowd like this. You feel the energy.
“I was hopeful with the great work we did at the team and the energy of the fans would get us here. This is down to the fans.”
HAM ‘OVER THE MOON’
Pole-winner Lewis Hamilton says it was an “incredible” to finally match – and better – Max Verstappen’s pace on home turf.
Watched by 86,000 at Silverstone, Hamilton’s Mercedes took top spot ahead of Verstappen’s Red Bull by 0.075 second.
Hamilton’s team-mate Valtteri Bottas was third, in front of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
McLaren’s Lando Norris was sixth, with Williams’ George Russell a brilliant eighth.
Hamilton said: “We have tried to stay focused on our job and I have been trying to layer it up in the simulator.
“I went to the factory in the morning to use it as a practice and try and give it everything and not leave any stone unturned.
“I was free and I said to the team that rather than sit around and waste time, I wanted to get to it and had a practice session.
“We are trying to squeeze everything from this car and it was holding together, so I am over the moon.
REPORT
Get the full lowdown on today’s qualifying with Ben Hunt’s report from Silverstone here.
Credit: Reuters
TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK
Is this the start of a Mercedes fightback?
They will need both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas on form to keep up the pressure tomorrow, with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez demoted to fifth after having a lap time deleted for exceeding track limits.
HERE’S THE GRID
Take a look at the grid for tomorrow’s sprint race.
FIRST JOB DONE
Lewis Hamilton adds: “It feels like such a long time since we’ve been able to get anywhere near [pole].
“We’ve got the car in a good place and the work gets done in the next two days.”
Credit: Reuters HAMILTON ALL SMILES
Lewis Hamilton has almost lost his voices as he gives his response.
The top qualifier says: “We’ve been missing this for a whole year, I’m so grateful to see everyone here.
“To have a full crowd like this, you see the energy. This is down to the fans.
“It was reminiscent of my first pole here in 2007 and I couldn’t have done it without those fans.”
VERSTAPPEN ‘WEIRD’ QUALY
Max Verstappen says: “We just need to look at ourselves, just a lot of understeer so I couldn’t really attack any corners.
“A bit of a weird feeling to drive, I don’t think it was setup related. We’re still quite close.”
BOTTAS CONTENT
Valtteri Bottas speaks to the broadcast coverage and has to battle over Lewis Hamilton’s response from the crowd.
He says: “It was a good qualifying based on how good Red Bull was in practice.
“It’s all to play for, it’s quite interesting.”
HAM IT UP
Lewis Hamilton runs straight to the stand on the Hamilton Straight to mark that pole triumph in front of over 90,000 fans.
CROWD GOES WILD
Silverstone and Lewis Hamilton enjoyed that one.
The Merc star tells his radio: “Get in there! Cracking job.”
LEW KNOW IT
Lewis Hamilton will start Saturday’s Silverstone sprint race on pole after a blistering 1:26.134 in Q3, edging him past Max Verstappen.
Valtteri Bottas completes the front three with Lando Norris sixth and George Russell a staggering eighth.
HAMILTON ON POLE
Max Verstappen also fails to improve his time, he misses out by less than a tenth!
MERCS SET THE BENCHMARK
Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton are first to finish, and it’s no quicker for the Brit as he almost loses it at Club!
ONE LAST TIME
The other nine drivers are on their out laps for the final shot at pole position for tomorrow’s sprint race…
RUSSELL GOES IT ALONE
With a quiet track, George Russell heads off around Silverstone and receives a standing ovation at every corner – even before his time comes in.
A 1:26.971 puts him above both Ferraris! That’s seventh again!
Credit: Reuters MAX UNHAPPY
A stream of complaints about the tyres from Max Verstappen over the radio. Testing times for Red Bull, can they pull through?
HAMILTON ON TOP
Lewis Hamilton has a 0.172 second advantage over Max Verstappen after the first run.
A big cheer from the British crowd, with Valtteri Bottas third, Sergio Perez fourth and then Lando Norris leading the two McLarens.
WILL FIRST LAPS BE KEY?
Track temperature is plummeting at Silverstone, down by over two degrees since we started this evening qualy. Such fine details may prove crucial.
STAND OFF
After a bit of a wait, Carlos Sainz is the first man out of the pits.
THIS IS IT
Ten drivers, 12 minutes. Strap in for Q3…
TOP FIVE IN Q2
1. HAM – 1:26.023
2. VER – Almost three tenths back
3. BOT
4. SAI
5. LECJoining them in Q3 are Sergio Perez, George Russell, Sebastian Vettel and both McLarens.
Credit: PA TWO IN A ROW
That is the second weekend in a row George Russell has put the Williams among the top ten of the grid. What an achievement.
Fernando Alonso will start the sprint race in 11th, ahead of Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, Antonio Giovinazzi and Lance Stroll.
RUSSELL INTO Q3 – SEVENTH!
He is Mr Friday! What a lap from the Williams star… again!
Silverstone goes wild!
MERCEDES THE FIRST TO TAKE THE FLAG
Lewis Hamilton goes fastest and Carlos Sainz also puts in a good time.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
