George Russell outpaced Lewis Hamilton to secure pole position for the Formula 1 2024 British Grand Prix, setting up an all-English front row at Silverstone.
Russell repeated his dominance from FP3 to claim his second pole of the season, finishing nearly two seconds ahead of Hamilton. Lando Norris completed an all-British top three, marking a historic moment in front of a massive crowd.
Max Verstappen settled for fourth, ahead of Oscar Piastri and Nico Hulkenberg in fifth and sixth respectively. Carlos Sainz qualified seventh, with Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso, and Alex Albon rounding out the top 10.
Earlier rain in FP3 and a delayed F2 Sprint race left the track damp at the start of Q1. FIA Race Control mandated intermediate tyres for all teams, navigating a fine line between wet and dry conditions. Sergio Perez experienced misfortune when he slid into the gravel at Copse, ending his session prematurely.
In Q3, Russell led the charge initially, with Norris and Hamilton close behind after the first runs. Verstappen and Hulkenberg occupied the second row, while a late surge saw Norris edge out Hamilton for P2. Carlos Sainz secured P7 on the grid for Ferrari.
In a weekend that already seemed to definitively certify the evident issues with the updates brought to the SF-24—hence why they were not utilized during the critical phase of the weekend—Ferrari continues its difficult period in qualifying. Charles Leclerc, in fact, was dramatically eliminated in Q2 of the British GP, leaving Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari alone to vie for pole position in the pivotal final stages of Saturday’s qualifying session.
The Monegasque driver was at risk of being cut throughout the session, but in the final lap, he seemed to have the necessary pace to at least break into the top 10. However, a slight mistake at Copse, exacerbated by the enormous difficulty #16 is facing in controlling the car smoothly, left him out of contention.
Certifying Ferrari’s dark moment is the fact that cars theoretically inferior to Charles Leclerc managed to place ahead of him, such as Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll’s Aston Martins, Alex Albon’s Williams, and even a ‘customer’ team like Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas.
Starting 11th on the grid ensures the Monaco GP winner the chance to at least fight for points tomorrow, but aiming for something more seems challenging. Less than two months ago, on May 26th, Charles Leclerc fulfilled his dream of winning in the Principality. Today, that day seems to belong to another geological era.
British GP Qualifying Top 10
1. George Russell, Mercedes
2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
3. Lando Norris, McLaren
4. Max Verstappen, McLaren
5. Oscar Piastri, McLaren
6. Nico Hulkenberg, Haas
7. Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
8. Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
9. Alex Albon, Williams
10. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
Leave a Reply