The Silverstone Circuit hasn’t changed a bit, and yet Lewis Hamilton is ready for a British Grand Prix on a “completely different track.”
Hamilton coped best with adapting his driving style around Formula 1’s new reliance on battery power to take pole position in qualifying for Saturday’s sprint race ahead of Sunday’s GP main event.
Despite a slight wobble in the final corner, Hamilton held on to take pole by just 0.011 of a second at a track where the seven-time F1 champion predicted he and Ferrari would struggle. The 41-year-old British driver stood atop his car and soaked in the applause as he waved to the crowd in Towcester, England.
“I love this place, I love this crowd, and I can’t express how big a dream it is,” he said.
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, who has a healthy lead in the season points standings, was second fastest, with Max Verstappen third for Red Bull ahead of Hamilton’s teammate Charles Leclerc.