Leclerc on Hamilton's sprint pole and his Ferrari struggles
Charles Leclerc said Ferrari were “extremely surprised” by Lewis Hamilton taking pole for British Grand Prix Sprint qualifying and admitted he is struggling to match his team-mate’s ability to extract the car’s potential. Charles Leclerc said: "We are extremely surprised with Lewis taking pole, but in general, we were expecting a much bigger gap to the cars in front. What I have realised is that I don't have the ease I had with last year's car, and even when I push, Lewis is more often at 100% potential of the car, which I am not."
Charles Leclerc expresses Ferrari shock as Lewis Hamilton difference pinpointed
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Winners and losers from F1's 2026 Silverstone sprint
Vowles on Williams' B-spec upgrade for Azerbaijan
Williams team principal James Vowles says the major upgrade package the team plans to introduce at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix is effectively a “B-spec” car and a test of Williams’ ability to deliver big in-season changes to the right quality. James Vowles said: "The best way to describe it to you is it's a B-spec car. It's a new chassis, and other bits that go with at the same time. That will be a large upgrade, that's true. In terms of our direction of travel, we have to – as a business – prove to ourselves that we can do the engineering to the right level of quality, and build a car to the right level of quality in-season – effectively the equivalency of flying the plane and rebuilding it at the same time."
Why Williams' ‘B-spec’ upgrade is such a key test
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Antonelli on overtaking Hamilton in the Silverstone Sprint
Kimi Antonelli said he “used everything” to overtake Lewis Hamilton during their battle in the Silverstone Sprint, which the championship leader went on to win. Antonelli said: "It was a very fun first 10 laps with Lewis. We were both pushing very hard. When I got into Overtake [Mode], I knew my chance was coming. Out of Turn Four I was very close, so I went alongside into Brooklyns but he used the boost, so I decided to wait. Going into Stowe I used everything I had, then I was able to overtake."
Kimi Antonelli dissects intense Lewis Hamilton battle: 'I used everything'
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Horner to return at Silverstone
Christian Horner is set to return to the Formula 1 paddock as a guest at this weekend’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone, his first F1 appearance since leaving Red Bull last July. The former Red Bull team principal has also announced his first memoir, Drive, to be published by Transworld on 22 October, with an audiobook version narrated by Horner. The book’s blurb describes it as “vivid, candid and uncompromising” and says it will cover his time “at the sharp end of the F1 grid” with Red Bull.
Christian Horner to attend F1 British GP, set to launch memoir
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Christian Horner teases 'never told stories' in new F1 book
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Lewis congratulating Kimi on his sprint race win at Silverstone ❤️
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FUN FACT - Kimi Antonelli is the first Italian F1 driver to finish P1 in Silverstone (in any format) in 73 years.
Hasn't happened since Alberto Ascari won the British GP in 1953.
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Antonelli defeats Hamilton in British GP F1 sprint race energy battle
Kimi Antonelli reinforced his 2026 F1 championship lead with an assertive win in the British Grand Prix sprint race at Silverstone
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Antonelli beats Hamilton to Silverstone Sprint win
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F1 British GP: Kimi Antonelli takes first sprint win with pass on Lewis Hamilton
🔴 Post-sprint interviews
⚪️ Kimi Antonelli: It was a very fun first 10 laps with Lewis. We were both pushing very hard. When I got into Overtake [Mode], I knew my chance was coming. Out of Turn Four I was very close, so I went alongside into Brooklyns but he used the boost, so I decided to wait. Going into Stowe I used everything I had, then I was able to overtake. From that point on I tried to get into my rhythm and try to break the Overtake Mode [which you get when you are within one second of the driver in front] then bring it home. "Lewis and Ferrari are doing an incredible job. Red Bull and McLaren are coming and George is super quick. We just need to keep raising that bar and keep delivering performances." 🔴 Lewis Hamilton: "Tough race to keep the Mercedes behind. I did say that was potentially the case yesterday and obviously with it being so windy today, a big, big headwind down the backstraight, he came flying past. I was pushing as hard as I could, I gave it absolutely everything. But well done to Kimi and we've got work to do to try and close that gap so we can keep up." 🟠 Lando Norris: "That was a very good race. I'm very, very happy. A good start, good first lap. Not the pace to go with these guys [Antonelli and Hamilton] but I had a good battle with George and the others behind me. Pleasantly surprised but it's just the Sprint and we have to do it all over again."
🔴 Updated Standings
Drivers' Championship P1) Andrea Kimi Antonelli – 179 Pts P2) George Russell – 136 Pts P3) Lewis Hamilton – 132 Pts P4) Lando Norris – 85 Pts P5) Charles Leclerc – 83 Pts P6) Oscar Piastri – 82 Pts P7) Max Verstappen – 76 Pts P8) Isack Hadjar – 42 Pts P9) Pierre Gasly – 41 Pts P10) Liam Lawson – 31 Pts P11) Oliver Bearman – 18 Pts P12) Franco Colapinto – 16 Pts P13) Arvid Lindblad – 14 Pts P14) Carlos Sainz – 6 Pts P15) Alexander Albon – 5 Pts P16) Esteban Ocon – 3 Pts P17) Gabriel Bortoleto – 2 Pts P18) Fernando Alonso – 1 Pt P19) Nico Hülkenberg – 0 Pts P20) Valtteri Bottas – 0 Pts P21) Sergio Pérez – 0 Pts P22) Lance Stroll – 0 Pts Constructors’ Championship P1) Mercedes – 315 Pts P2) Ferrari – 215 Pts P3) McLaren – 167 Pts P4) Red Bull – 118 Pts P5) Alpine – 57 Pts P6) Racing Bulls – 45 Pts P7) Haas – 21 Pts P8) Williams – 11 Pts P9) Audi – 2 Pts P10) Aston Martin – 1 Pt P11) Cadillac – 0 Pts
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2026 F1 championship standings after British Grand Prix Sprint
⏱️ Sprint Results
P1) Kimi Antonelli P2) Lewis Hamilton: +2.745 P3) Lando Norris: +9.783 P4) George Russell: +10.639 P5) Charles Leclerc: +12.620 P6) Max Verstappen: +16.550 P7) Oscar Piastri: +17.551 P8) Liam Lawson: +30.233 P9) Isack Hadjar: +30.953 P10) Arvid Lindblad: +35.110 P11) Pierre Gasly: +40.273 P12) Franco Colapinto: +41.026 P13) Nico Hülkenberg: +41.680 P14) Gabriel Bortoleto: +42.499 P15) Oliver Bearman: +45.784 P16) Esteban Ocon: +49.810 P17) Carlos Sainz: +50.379 P18) Alexander Albon: +50.757 P19) Valtteri Bottas: +75.117 P20) Fernando Alonso: +91.872 P21) Lance Stroll: +1 lap P22) Sergio Perez: +1 lap
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British GP 2026 Formula 1 sprint race results
LIVE COVERAGE: Hamilton leads Antonelli in Silverstone Sprint
🏁 Sprint Starting Grid
P1) Lewis Hamilton P2) Kimi Antonelli P3) Max Verstappen P4) Charles Leclerc P5) George Russell P6) Lando Norris P7) Oscar Piastri P8) Isack Hadjar P9) Liam Lawson P10) Arvid Lindblad P11) Pierre Gasly P12) Gabriel Bortoleto P13) Nico Hulkenberg P14) Franco Colapinto P15) Carlos Sainz P16) Oliver Bearman P17) Esteban Ocon P18) Sergio Perez P19) Valtteri Bottas P20) Fernando Alonso P21) Lance Stroll Pit Lane) Alexander Albon
Brundle on Verstappen camp and Red Bull management departures
Martin Brundle says Max Verstappen’s camp wanted to “torpedo” Red Bull’s senior management structure, as he gave his view on the team’s recent run of high-profile departures. Brundle said: "My goodness, they wanted to torpedo the management of Red Bull, didn't they? Team Verstappen did that very well indeed. To start with Christian Horner, and it just carried on from there with Adrian Newey, Dr Helmut Marko and Jonathan Wheatley."
Red Bull exits a result of 'torpedo' campaign by Max Verstappen camp - Martin Brundle
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Antonelli on attacking Silverstone Sprint from second
F1 championship leader Kimi Antonelli says he will “go for it” in Saturday’s Sprint at Silverstone after missing out on Sprint pole by 0.01 seconds to Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton in Friday’s qualifying. Antonelli said: "The car felt good. Ferrari have done an incredible step forward, so definitely it's going to be very tough. Plus, Lewis is in great form, but that's good; we like the challenge, and we'll try to make the best out of it. We'll go for it and we'll try to do our best. It's not going to be easy, but everything is on the table to do well."
Antonelli embraces front-row fight with Ferrari and Hamilton
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Brown on Fornaroli's prospects of securing an F1 seat
McLaren chief executive Zak Brown says reserve driver Leonardo Fornaroli is "definitely worthy of being in F1" and believes there are real possibilities for the Formula 2 champion to secure a seat on the grid. Zak Brown said: "Yeah, I think there are. He's a great talent. He's been doing some testing with us, and so hopefully he'll secure an F1 seat. I think he's definitely worthy of being in F1."
Fornaroli 'definitely worthy of being in F1' – Brown
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Vasseur on Wolff's cost cap suggestion over Ferrari upgrades
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur said Toto Wolff’s suggestion that Ferrari must “be running out of cost cap” because of its recent upgrades was “quite ironic”, insisting the team has not brought more parts than its rivals. Vasseur said: "I found it quite ironic from Toto, coming from Toto and Mercedes. When Red Bull is developing or when Mercedes is developing, they are genius, when we are developing we are cheating. I think you have to calm down with this, that we didn't bring more parts than Red Bull or another team. I don't know if it was a joke."
Vasseur responds to Wolff's Ferrari upgrade remarks
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Ferrari not ‘cheating' as Vasseur hits back at Toto Wolff comments
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Mercedes tactic deemed compliant
Mercedes has found a legal way to recreate some of the benefit of its earlier FIA-banned qualifying deployment tactic by having its drivers lift off the throttle just before the timing line at Silverstone, The Race reports. The aim is to keep maximum 350kW ERS-K deployment for longer on the run to the line, then avoid the normal 50kW-per-second ramp-down requirement because the regulations allow that when driver power demand is negative. FIA sources told The Race the tactic is compliant provided ERS-K power does not fall by more than 50kW in one second before the lift.
Mercedes finds legal way to revive banned F1 qualifying trick
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Late change to British GP Sprint grid after Williams decision
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Sainz on Silverstone being downgraded by 2026 engines
Williams driver Carlos Sainz says Silverstone has been “downgraded” by the current 2026 engines, after finding the power deployment through the lap “pretty shocking” in the simulator. Sainz said: "Yeah, the simulator was pretty shocking, as [Verstappen] would say, which was just like a clear sign and understanding that whatever we came up with for this year is not good enough. That's why the regs change was necessary for next year, because a great racetrack like this being a bit, not spoiled, but downgraded because of the way you do an engine is not what F1 should be about."
Sainz: ‘Pretty shocking' F1 2026 engines have ‘downgraded’ Silverstone
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Hamilton on building trust and collaboration at Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton says building trust and improving alignment with Ferrari’s leadership and his own engineering group has been key to his increased comfort at the team this season. Hamilton said: "Each weekend was a really difficult weekend last year. So, when you're having that, people tend to listen to you less. Rather than listen to you when you're getting these results. That's taken a long time to build that trust, and I think that trust is now there, and things can get done. It's a two-way street, actually, you know. We're really pushing each other along, and the collaboration is finally there. I think that's the most important thing."
Lewis Hamilton voices ‘trust' theory for Ferrari turnaround
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Brown on Verstappen to McLaren rumours
Zak Brown says rumours linking Max Verstappen with a move to McLaren are wide of the mark, insisting any discussions with the Red Bull driver’s camp “didn’t go anywhere” when asked at Silverstone ahead of the British Grand Prix. Brown said: "They didn't go anywhere. I've got my two drivers, so there's nothing to report."
Zak Brown reveals how far Max Verstappen talks went over sensational McLaren switch
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Russell on Ferrari's surprising Silverstone pace
George Russell said he was "very surprised" by Ferrari's pace at Silverstone after Lewis Hamilton took sprint pole for the British Grand Prix. Russell said: "Very surprised, they've been on the back foot with the PU and energy management. Here, they look the best. That's been a real surprise. We've always known they've had a great chassis. Some things aren't quite making sense. If I were to predict it, I would have said Ferrari to be quick last week and us to be quick this week."
George Russell issues ‘real surprise' at Ferrari’s Silverstone pace
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Brown on McLaren becoming quickest before current rules end
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown says he is confident the team can produce the fastest car on the Formula 1 grid before the current regulation cycle ends, but accepts it will “take some time”. Brown said: "I've got a lot of confidence, but it's going to be very tough. The other 10 teams in Formula 1, these are the best racing teams in the world. So, the competition never sits still. But we have gone from ninth to quickest. So, we can definitely go from third to quickest. It'll take some time."
Zak Brown delivers McLaren F1 turnaround timeline
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Norris on title win bringing relaxation and confidence
Lando Norris says winning his first Formula 1 title has made him more relaxed and given him a deeper level of confidence as a driver. Norris said: "Yeah. Both of those, really. When people say, 'What's changed since you've won the championship?' Simply, it's just those two things. I feel more relaxed because I spent 20 years trying to achieve one thing, and I've achieved it. Winning the championship last year has allowed me to have more confidence in an underlying way because I feel like I can lean on that."
Lando Norris reveals how winning F1 championship changed him
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