2026 British GP: Antonelli wins sprint, takes pole

Andrea Kimi Antonelli won the Silverstone sprint by 2.7s and later took British Grand Prix pole after Lewis Hamilton had topped practice and sprint qualifying.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli split the key Silverstone honours across the weekend, winning the British Grand Prix sprint and then securing pole position for Sunday’s race. BBC Sport, Autosport and RaceFans reported that the Mercedes driver passed Lewis Hamilton in Saturday’s sprint and finished 2.7 seconds ahead, after Hamilton had taken sprint pole earlier in the weekend.

Hamilton had opened the event by going fastest in Friday practice for Ferrari, as reported by BBC Sport and Autosport, and then edged Antonelli to sprint pole. Later on Saturday, those outlets and RaceFans reported that Antonelli beat Charles Leclerc and Hamilton to British Grand Prix pole, with George Russell fourth for Mercedes.

The Silverstone result strengthened Antonelli’s position at the top of the 2026 drivers’ championship on 179 points. Russell arrived second on 154, Hamilton third on 147 and Leclerc fourth on 108, while Antonelli’s career record stood at five wins, five poles and 10 podiums before Sunday’s Grand Prix.