British GP 2024
JULY 6, 2024
Qualifying Report - Three brits in top three
© Mercedes
George Russell secured his third Formula 1 pole position in the qualifying session at Silverstone, leading an all-British front row. Driving for Mercedes, Russell posted a fastest lap of 1’25.819, narrowly beating his teammate Lewis Hamilton by 0.171 seconds. Lando Norris of McLaren rounded out the top three, completing a historic all-British front trio.
The battle for pole was intense, with both Mercedes drivers vying for the top spot. Hamilton initially set a competitive time of 1’25.990, but Russell managed to improve in the final sectors of his lap to snatch pole position. “It was a tough fight, but I’m thrilled to be on pole at my home Grand Prix,” said Russell.
Lando Norris, who had shown strong pace throughout the weekend, clocked a 1’26.030, securing third place and ensuring a British presence at the front. Norris commented, “It’s fantastic to see three British drivers at the top. I’m looking forward to the race.”
Max Verstappen, despite suffering floor damage during a Q1 incident at Copse, managed to qualify fourth with a time of 1’26.203. “It was a challenging session, but we managed to recover well,” Verstappen said.
Oscar Piastri, driving for McLaren, delivered an impressive performance to take fifth with a lap time of 1’26.237. Nico Hulkenberg, benefitting from recent upgrades to his Haas, qualified sixth with a 1’26.338. “The upgrades definitely helped. We’re in a strong position for the race,” Hulkenberg noted.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz secured seventh place with a time of 1’26.509, while Lance Stroll of Aston Martin was eighth, setting a 1’26.585. Williams driver Alexander Albon qualified ninth with a time of 1’26.640, and Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin completed the top ten with a 1’26.917.
The session’s drama was heightened by significant track evolution during Q2, as the drying circuit created an ever-changing order. Verstappen and Charles Leclerc struggled to secure their places in Q3. Leclerc’s late push moved him up to seventh, but Verstappen ultimately knocked him back into the drop zone with a final effort. Leclerc ended the session in 11th with a 1’27.097.
Logan Sargeant of Williams set a time of 1’27.175, placing him 12th. Yuki Tsunoda, driving for Red Bull’s junior team, qualified 13th with a 1’27.269. Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu and Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull rounded out the top 15 with times of 1’27.867 and 1’27.949, respectively.
Sergio Perez’s session ended prematurely in Q1 after ending up in the gravel trap at Copse caused a red flag. Perez, who lost control of his car on soft tires, could only manage a time of 1’38.348, leaving him 19th on the grid. He expressed disappointment but remained hopeful for the race. “It’s a tough result, but we’ll push hard in the race,” Perez said.
Pierre Gasly, who also faced penalties for taking new power unit components, will start from the pit lane. His qualifying time of 1’39.804 placed him last on the timesheets. Esteban Ocon of Alpine struggled as well, qualifying 18th with a 1’34.557 after complaining of rain interference during his sole push lap in Q1.
Valtteri Bottas of Alfa Romeo and Kevin Magnussen of Haas qualified 16th and 17th, respectively, both affected by brief rain in the final minutes of Q1. Bottas posted a 1’32.431, while Magnussen’s best effort was a 1’32.905.
With the British Grand Prix set for tomorrow, the stage is set for a thrilling race, with Russell, Hamilton, and Norris leading the charge from the front.