The ever-changing Silverstone wind once again proved a major factor during qualifying, but it was Kimi Antonelli who mastered the conditions to secure his fifth career pole position.
Lewis Hamilton arrived with hopes of repeating his impressive Sprint qualifying pace. While Ferrari again showed strong one-lap speed, questions remain over its race pace across a full Grand Prix distance.
Q1
George Russell briefly brought out yellow flags early in the session after locking up at Luffield and sliding through the gravel, damaging his front wing.
Ferrari set the pace as Charles Leclerc and Hamilton topped the times, while Liam Lawson’s second place and Nico Hülkenberg’s fourth were standout surprise performances.
Q2
Max Verstappen endured a frustrating session, complaining about his powertrain before describing his lap as “a disaster”. McLaren also struggled, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri outside the leading positions during the early runs.
After overcoming early brake concerns, Antonelli finished fastest ahead of Leclerc and Hamilton.
Q3
The final 12-minute shootout saw Ferrari challenge for pole, but Antonelli had the edge when it mattered most.
The Mercedes driver secured pole position ahead of Leclerc and Hamilton, with Russell fourth and Isack Hadjar completing the top five.
Another composed and consistent performance saw Antonelli claim his fifth career pole, with Ferrari lacking the final edge needed to beat the Mercedes driver, who now starts as the favourite for Sunday’s race.
