Kimi Antonelli built on the momentum of his earlier Sprint win to claim pole position for Sunday’s showpiece British Grand Prix.
The world championship leader, who increased his title lead to 43 points by winning the 17-lap Sprint, saw off the challenge from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton to take his fifth career pole by 0.175s with a final lap of 1:28.111.
Silverstone specialist Hamilton had beaten Antonelli to the head of the grid in the Sprint format on Friday but had to settle for third for the main race after losing out on the second front-row berth to Ferrari team-mate Leclerc.
George Russell was a provisional second to Mercedes team-mate Antonelli going into the final laps but was leapfrogged by the Ferraris after failing to improve on his final run, consigning him to fourth,
But it could have been far worse for Russell, who has been enduring a difficult home race weekend, after he damaged his car against the barriers when he went off track at Luffield in Q1. He was able to get back out of the gravel and return to the pits for a new front wing.
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George Russell CRASHES in Q1 at the British Grand Prix.
Isack Hadjar produced arguably the best qualifying showing of his short Red Bull career so far to take fifth, two places ahead of four-time world champion team-mate Max Verstappen.
World champions McLaren were never a factor in the fight for pole a year after dominating their home race and wound up sixth and eighth with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri respectively.
Arvid Lindblad was again in the top 10 on his home British GP debut and levelled up the Racing Bulls qualifying head-to-head for the Sprint weekend after outpacing Liam Lawson to this time take ninth.
British GP Qualifying: Top 10
1) Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
2) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
3) Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
4) George Russell, Mercedes
5) Isack Hadjar, Red Bull
6) Lando Norris, McLaren
7) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
8) Oscar Piastri, McLaren
9) Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
10) Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
How Antonelli turned the qualifying tables on Ferrari
He may not have started the Sprint weekend as the driver to beat, but an Antonelli pole had looked the most likely outcome for Saturday afternoon once the Italian teenager had won the Sprint so conclusively by overtaking Hamilton from second on the grid.
The Ferraris had still looked quick into the first part of main qualifying but Antonelli moved to the top of the order in Q2 and then really upped the ante when he lapped two tenths quicker than his rivals on his first lap on Q3.
And despite voicing his concern about being the first car on track for the final attempts, rather than the more preferable position of towards the end, he effectively settled the pole fight early by improving his own benchmark by a further 0.2s.
Antonelli admitted afterwards: “A bit stressed because I never like going first for the last run!” he admitted.
“The last lap was very tidy. I have to be honest, it came all together. It was very tricky with the wind because it was very gusty and unpredictable.
‘It feels like nothing fazes him’
Sky Sports F1’s Jenson Button:
“That was amazing, really impressive It feels like nothing fazes him. That’s what I don’t understand.
“With the management of Toto [Wolff] and Bono, [Peter Bonnington] his engineer, it’s helped him grow in the sport.”
“But we built our way through qualifying. To bring the pole home is very satisfying.”
Leclerc was also pleased with his result, his second front-row start behind a Mercedes in as many weeks.
“I’m pleased. It’s been a few tough races where the feeling was not quite right, where I was struggling to put everything together.
“On the Sundays we’ve had things that have stopped us scoring points, so to be back with a good feeling, there’s been so much work behind the scenes to get back that feeling inside the car.
“But today is probably the first time where I had it back, so that is a good thing, but at the same time, I know how much I’ve struggled to be consistent recently, so it’s only the beginning but it’s a good step in the right direction.”
Hamilton will also start third for the second Sunday running,
“Charles has been making good improvements and we just didn’t have the pace of the Mercedes, which has been a thing for a while. But we are slowly closing the gap and to have both of us up here is great for the team.
“Whether or not we can fully keep up with Kimi, we will see but hopefully we can play with the strategy and work as a team to try to topple them. We will do our best for sure.”
Sky Sports F1’s British GP schedule
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments throughout the years at the British Grand Prix
Sunday July 5
8.20am: F3 Feature Race*
9.55am: F1 Academy Race 2*
11.10am: F2 Feature Race*
12.55pm: Grand Prix Sunday: British GP build-up*
3pm: THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX*
5pm: Chequered Flag: British GP reaction
6pm: Ted’s Notebook
*also on Sky Sports Main Event
Formula 1 is in Silverstone for a Sprint weekend at the British Grand Prix – live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky One – with Sunday’s race at 3pm. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime