F1 qualifying results: Max Verstappen thunders to pole position at Silverstone

Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris traded places atop the timing sheets in the first two practice sessions at the Formula 1 British Grand Prix.

Will one of those hometown heroes take pole position today, or will another driver step up and go fastest during qualifying at Silverstone?

Hamilton’s win in the British Grand Prix a season ago may have been the most emotional moment of the entire 2024 campaign, as the seven-time champion took to the top step of a podium for the first time since the penultimate race of the 2021 campaign. But he is back at Silverstone for the first time in Ferrari red, and topped the timing sheets during Friday’s first practice session.

As for Norris, he went fastest in FP2 on Friday, doing so in front of the throngs of fans that packed into “Landostand,” the grandstand that bears his name.

Other drivers of course have their eyes on pole position today, including Hamilton’s teammate Charles Leclerc, and Oscar Piastri, the current Drivers’ Championship leader. Then there are Max Verstappen and George Russell, who have been in the news lately due to speculation over their F1 futures. Russell remains without a contract at Mercedes next season, with various outlets reporting that Verstappen could be looking at a move to the Silver Arrows next season.

Verstappen is always a threat for pole position, and if the weather remains cool that could bring Mercedes into the mix.

We’ll have every step of qualifying covered for you here on Saturday morning, starting live at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time. Qualifying gets underway at 10:00 a.m. Eastern, so check back early and often!

Here are the provisional qualifying results, which will be filled in throughout the session:

All updates are in Eastern time.

Q3

11:19: “It was tricky out there with the wind,” describes Verstappen. “That final lap was good enough, but this is a proper track … you have to be really committed.”

“Excited to go racing tomorrow,” continues Verstappen. “Difficult to say [if he can keep the McLarens behind him] but we’ll try.”

11:18: “I was happy with the first lap, the first lap was mega to be honest,” says Piastri. “The last lap was a little bit messy, but it’s been tight all weekend.”

“Ultimately, pretty happy with second on the grid,” adds Piastri. “It’s gonna be a fun race.”

11:16: Trackside interviews are with Jolyon Palmer today.

“Good qualifying,” begins Norris. “Max did a good job, not quick enough from us today.

“Not the top, but still a good day.”

“Little margins, little mistakes, little things … can win or lose you the game today,” adds the McLaren driver. “But still, all good fun.”

11:11: IT IS MAX VERSTAPPEN’S DAY! He goes purple through the three sectors on his final lap and stuns the field to take pole position.

11:10: Hamilton nips them both as he goes purple through the first sector. It is truly Game on.

Norris misses out on P1, just behind Piastri.

Piastri wobbles on the final turn. Hamilton comes to the line … and falls short, and is only good for fourth.

11:09: Norris and Piastri are on their last push laps, with Norris ahead of Piastri. Piastri is faster through the first sector of the two McLarens.

11:08: Two minutes remain in Q3 and Verstappen is the last of the ten to take to the track for the final push laps.

11:05: Five minutes remain in Q3, and it is truly showdown time. Will we see a McLaren on pole tomorrow? Will Hamilton deliver another stunning result at Silverstone? Or will we see another surprise from elsewhere in the field?

11:02: Verstappen comes across with a 1:25.267 which is good for P1, but Piastri immediately nips him with a 1:24.995.

Norris jumps ahead of Verstappen, but is 0.172 seconds behind Piastri.

Russell slots in fourth for the moment, but Leclerc nips him for P4.

Hamilton jumps into P2 right after them.

As Piastri radios into McLaren to “check the floor,” your current top six is: Piastri, Hamilton, Norris, Verstappen, Leclerc, and Russell.

11:01: Your eyes are not deceiving you, that is Keanu Reeves sitting on pit wall.

He will be part of an upcoming documentary chronicling Cadillac’s entry into F1, as they arrive as the 11th team for next season.

10:58: Okay here we go. 12 minutes on the clock and ten drivers remain in the fight for pole. As Q3 begins the bullk of the ten head out to the track.

Piastri reports “[t]hat was pretty marginal by Mercedes” as he encounters some traffic on pit lane.

Q2

10:51: Hadjar’s final time is only good enough for P11, and he is done. The five drivers eliminated are Sainz, Tsunoda, Hadjar, Albon, and Ocon.

10:50: Leclerc goes P1 but only for a moment as Hamilton nips him for the top stop.

Hadjar, Ocon, Antonelli, Gasly, and Tsunoda are in the drop zone as the clock hits zero. Times are still coming in.

10:49: Hamilton is on his push lap and goes purple through the first sector, meaning that is the fastest time through that portion of the track from anyone so far today.

10:46: Five minutes remain in Q2. The bulk of the grid heads out for their final sets of push laps.

10:42: Norris takes P1 away from Verstappen with a 1:25.231. All 15 drivers have now posted at least one push lap and the five drivers in the drop zone are: Hamilton, Antonelli, Leclerc, Gasly, and Tsunoda.

Fernando Alonso complains over the radio about Antonelli holding him up, and another penalty may be on offer for the Mercedes rookie. Antonelli has a grid drop awaiting him for an accident with Verstappen at the start of last weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix.

10:40: Verstappen jumps to the top with a 1:25.316. But he reports that he had a problem with one of his gears.

Piastri’s first push lap? Also 1:25.316. The two are tied atop the timing sheet for the moment.

10:36: Red Bull goes first as Verstappen rockets out of the garage. One by one ther est of the grid begins to follow the 2024 Drivers’ Champion.

10:35: Q2 has begun with 15 minutes on the clock, but the track is quiet for now as all 15 drivers left remain in their respective garages.

Q1

10:30: Hometown hero Hamilton narrowly survives Q1, finishing P14 which is just enough to advance to Q2.

10:28: The clock hits zero in Q2. Bortoleto, Stroll, Hülkenberg, Colapinto, and Lawson are out. Gasly finds the time he needs right at the end of Q1 to advance into Q2.

10:26: Bearman just delivered the fastest second sector on his latest push lap, which results in a P3 for the moment.

However, he is facing the ten-place grid drop as a result of the incident earlier today in FP3.

10:26: Verstappen jumps back to P1 with a 1:25.886.

10:25: Albon jumps up to P3 with a strong lap as the clock ticks under three minutes remaining.

10:24: Leclerc has been noted by race officials for a potential yellow flag infringement.

Hamilton tells Ferrari that the track is “slippery.”

10:22: “Some drops in the pit lane,” reports Piastri. “Seems like it might be worse than before.”

10:21: The green flag is back at Silverstone and the McLaren duo immediately roars out of their garages, with the rest of the field following behind them.

Rain may be picking up based on the F1TV cameras …

10:18: Q1 will resume at 3:21 p.m. local time/10:21 a.m. Eastern.

10:16: We remain under red flag conditions.

Colapinto’s spin will undoubtedly raise more questions about his F1 future. After replacing Jack Doohan following the Miami Grand Prix Colapinto was reportedly given five races to prove himself in the A525. Now the young driver is on what has been called a race-by-race basis, and with Alpine reserve Paul Aron given a chance to drive in FP1 for Sauber this week, and reporting indicating that ALpine has inquired about Mercedes reserve Valtteri Bottas, this spin will only raise more questions.

10:10: Colapinto is into the gravel. He slides off at the final turn on a push lap and goes deep into the gravel. But he manages to keep his A525 from a big collision with the barrier, only sliding the right front into the wall. Colapinto is able to get his A525 moving again, but eventually stops at Farm, and the red flag is out

10:09: Under ten minutes left in Q1 and the five drivers are in the drop zone are: Colapinto, Gasly, Lance Stroll, Bortoleto, and Hülkenberg.

10:08: Piastri eclipses everyone, going to P1 with a lap of 1:26.002.

10:07: Verstappen’s first push lap puts him into P1. Norris slots in behind him just 0.124 seconds behind him. Leclerc then slides into third.

10:05: Alex Albon jumps to the top of the timing sheets, ahead of the Alpine duo of Franco Colapinto and Gasly. Some of the main contenders have taken to the track including Verstappen, Norris, and Piastri.

10:02: According to race control the risk of rain is 30%, but those chances might be increasing. Pierre Gasly reports “some drizzle” to his team over the radio.

Weather is often a factor at Silverstone.

10:00: It is time for the first of three qualifying segments. Should be an instant classic. 18 minutes are on the clock for this first segment, and we will lose the five slowest drivers.

Sauber sends the first two drivers out to the track, with rookie Gabriel Bortoleto leading veteran Nico Hülkenberg out of the pits.

Notes from PF3

9:42: If the third and final practice session is any indication, we are in for an incredible show here in a few moments.

Charles Leclerc took the top spot in FP3, with Oscar Piastri just 0.068 seconds off his pace. Max Verstappen was third, 0.087 seconds behind Leclerc, with Lando Norris in fourth, just 0.108 seconds behind Leclerc’s lap time of 1:25.498.

Yuki Tsunoda finished fifth, while Oliver Bearman, Alexander Albon, George Russell, Isack Hadjar, and Liam Lawson rounded out the top ten.