British Grand Prix 2026: Hamilton lifts Ferrari mood

Lewis Hamilton topped practice and took sprint pole at Silverstone before finishing second in the sprint, giving Ferrari an unexpected boost.

Lewis Hamilton gave Ferrari an early lift at Silverstone after setting the pace in practice and then taking sprint pole, as reported by BBC Sport. BBC also reported that Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli passed Hamilton to win the sprint, while Autosport said Ferrari had expected to be around six tenths down on the straights before the weekend turned more competitive than the team anticipated.

BBC later reported that Antonelli secured pole position for the British Grand Prix ahead of Charles Leclerc and Hamilton, with George Russell fourth. That left Ferrari with both cars in the top three for the main grid after a stronger start than expected at Silverstone.

Hamilton arrived at the event third in the 2026 drivers' championship on 147 points in his first Ferrari season. Ferrari, Formula 1's longest-serving constructor, has 250 race wins and 16 constructors’ titles, and the Silverstone weekend offered evidence that the team could run near the front.