George Russell secured pole position for the British Grand Prix, beating team mate Lewis Hamilton as Lando Norris completed an all-British top three in third.
Russell pipped his Mercedes team mate with his final lap to seal an all-Mercedes front row for the team’s home grand prix ahead of Norris’s McLaren.
Max Verstappen split the two McLaren drivers and will start fourth on the grid, with Sergio Perez starting down in 19th after spinning out in Q1.
Q1
Qualifying for the grand prix began on a track that was drying but still far too damp for slick tyres. As such, every one of the 18 drivers who headed out to begin with did so on new intermediate tyres to get an early banker lap in.Everyone completed a timed lap on the intermediates, save for the Haas pair of Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen. Verstappen was quickest of all on the intermediates early on with a 1’37.215, but he was beaten by the two Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell who improved with their second push laps.
Charles Leclerc was the first driver to switch over to slick tyres, fitting a set of softs. That triggered a run in the pit lane with several drivers following suit, including Sergio Perez.
However, as Perez rounded Copse corner on his out lap on the slick tyres, he caught a snap of oversteer which caused him to run out onto the wet run-off, sliding into the gravel trap where he was stranded, triggering a red flag stoppage and putting him out of the session.
The session eventually resumed with a rush of cars heading out to try and get quick laps in on dry tyres before the expected rain arrived. However, only a handful of cars managed to get a lap in before the rain hit at the north of the circuit, around Woodcote and Copse. That caught out Verstappen, who slid off track at the same point as his team mate but managed to travel through the gravel and emerge back on track.
The rain disappeared just as quickly as it had arrived, meaning drivers had a final opportunity to improve before the end of the session. Several did, but when the chequered flag flew at the end of the session there were no further surprise casualties joining Perez in elimination.
Pierre Gasly, who will start last on the grid after several power unit-related penalties, was slowest in the session with Perez dropping to 19th after spinning out. Esteban Ocon was frustrated to be knocked out in 18th place, with Magnussen also failing to get through in 17th. Valtteri Bottas improved on his final effort but it was not enough for him to escape Q1, as he was eliminated in 16th.
Aston Martin will be summoned to the stewards after qualifying for two separate incidents. The first is for Lance Stroll allegedly exiting the pit lane under the red flag triggered by Perez’s spin, and a second incident involving both Stroll and team mate Fernando Alonso.
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Q1 result
| P. | # | Driver | Team | Model | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | W15 | 1’29.547 | |
| 2 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W15 | 1’30.106 | 0.559 |
| 3 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | SF-24 | 1’30.496 | 0.949 |
| 4 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | SF-24 | 1’30.557 | 1.010 |
| 5 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL38 | 1’30.895 | 1.348 |
| 6 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB-Honda RBPT | 01 | 1’30.994 | 1.447 |
| 7 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | FW46 | 1’31.135 | 1.588 |
| 8 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Sauber-Ferrari | C44 | 1’31.190 | 1.643 |
| 9 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR24 | 1’31.264 | 1.717 |
| 10 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | RB-Honda RBPT | 01 | 1’31.291 | 1.744 |
| 11 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB20 | 1’31.342 | 1.795 |
| 12 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR24 | 1’31.410 | 1.863 |
| 13 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL38 | 1’31.596 | 2.049 |
| 14 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams-Mercedes | FW46 | 1’31.608 | 2.061 |
| 15 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas-Ferrari | VF-24 | 1’31.929 | 2.382 |
| 16 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Sauber-Ferrari | C44 | 1’32.431 | 2.884 |
| 17 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas-Ferrari | VF-24 | 1’32.905 | 3.358 |
| 18 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine-Renault | A524 | 1’34.557 | 5.010 |
| 19 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB20 | 1’38.348 | 8.801 |
| 20 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine-Renault | A524 | 1’39.797 | 10.250 |
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Q2
The track was dry enough on the racing line for slicks but still very damp and treacherous off-line when the second phase of qualifying began. Both Mercedes drivers, Hamilton and Russell, took to the track on used tyres, while Verstappen and the two Ferraris did so on what were effectively new softs.
Norris was the quickest after the first round of push laps, his 1’27.432 just ahead of Carlos Sainz Jnr and Hamilton in third on his older softs. Alonso’s second push lap on his set took him to the top of the times, a tenth quicker than Norris, before Sainz improved on his second flying lap to go quickest instead.
Entering the final five minutes of the session, the bulk of the field returned to the pits for fresh tyres. Logan Sargeant was the first driver in danger of elmination in 11th, but Russell in 12th was the surprise name in the drop zone in his Mercedes.
The track was drying rapidly with drivers improving with every lap. Leclerc fell into the drop zone in 12th, leaving him just one chance to secure his way into the top ten. He did so, jumping up into seventh, which meant Verstappen was vulnerable. However, the world champion successfully moved into sixth with his final effort.
But Leclerc’s relief proved only temporary. Stroll and Albon improved to squeeze into the top 10 at his expense, dropping the Ferrari out of the top ten, sealing his elimination in 11th. He was joined by Sargeant, who could not follow his team mate into Q3, Yuki Tsunoda out in 13th, with Zhou Guanyu and Daniel Ricciardo the final two drivers eliminated.
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Q2 result
| P. | # | Driver | Team | Model | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL38 | 1’26.559 | |
| 2 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W15 | 1’26.723 | 0.164 |
| 3 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR24 | 1’26.730 | 0.171 |
| 4 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL38 | 1’26.733 | 0.174 |
| 5 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | W15 | 1’26.770 | 0.211 |
| 6 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB20 | 1’26.796 | 0.237 |
| 7 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | SF-24 | 1’26.843 | 0.284 |
| 8 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas-Ferrari | VF-24 | 1’26.847 | 0.288 |
| 9 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | FW46 | 1’26.933 | 0.374 |
| 10 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR24 | 1’26.938 | 0.379 |
| 11 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | SF-24 | 1’27.097 | 0.538 |
| 12 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams-Mercedes | FW46 | 1’27.175 | 0.616 |
| 13 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB-Honda RBPT | 01 | 1’27.269 | 0.710 |
| 14 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Sauber-Ferrari | C44 | 1’27.867 | 1.308 |
| 15 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | RB-Honda RBPT | 01 | 1’27.949 | 1.390 |
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Q3
Max Verstappen appeared to be under serious threat of missing out on pole position with two McLarens and two Mercedes looking to beat him and take the top spot on the grid for their home grand prix.Verstappen was the first of the likely pole contenders to start his first flying lap, posting a 1’26.350. But the strength of the McLarens was proven when he was beaten by both Piastri and Norris, who went quicker with a 1’26.030 to take provisional pole ahead of his team mate.
Hamilton split the McLarens to take second, before Russell beat everyone with his first flying lap to take provisional pole by just six-thousandths of a second. This put three British drivers in first, second and third, with Piastri in fourth and Verstappen three tenths of a second slower than Russell in fifth.
Verstappen was again the first big name out of the pits as drivers headed out for their final attempts in the final minutes. Despite improving in the middle sector, Verstappen could not match the Mercedes or Norris and improved to fourth. That meant pole position would be taken by either Russell, Norris or Hamilton, with Piastri compromised on his final effort by being caught behind Sainz at the back of the queue.
Hamilton improved to take provisional pole, while Norris abandoned his final lap. That meant only Russell could deny his teammate pole and he did so by a tenth of a second as he crossed the line, securing his second pole position in four rounds.
Hamilton will start second with Norris securing a British one-two-three for the British Grand Prix. Verstappen will start fourth with Piastri in fifth, with Nico Hulkenberg putting his Haas in sixth on the grid. Sainz qualified seventh ahead of Stroll, Albon and Alonso in tenth.
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Q3 result
| P. | # | Driver | Team | Model | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W15 | 1’25.819 | |
| 2 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | W15 | 1’25.990 | 0.171 |
| 3 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL38 | 1’26.030 | 0.211 |
| 4 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB20 | 1’26.203 | 0.384 |
| 5 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL38 | 1’26.237 | 0.418 |
| 6 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas-Ferrari | VF-24 | 1’26.338 | 0.519 |
| 7 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | SF-24 | 1’26.509 | 0.690 |
| 8 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR24 | 1’26.585 | 0.766 |
| 9 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | FW46 | 1’26.640 | 0.821 |
| 10 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR24 | 1’26.917 | 1.098 |
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2024 British Grand Prix
- The ‘good and bad’ reason Piastri is sure he can win after three near-misses
- Gasly solved mystery handling problem by using Ocon’s settings
- Mercedes “will be in an even stronger position” after next upgrade – Hamilton
- Verstappen “refuses to believe” Red Bull are reaching limit of RB20’s potential
- Why “under construction” McLaren still celebrate third place after missing a win
BLS (@brightlampshade)
6th July 2024, 16:28
Great top 3 for the home crowd with Mercedes managing those sessions excellently.
Sainz, Piastri and Alonso were left a bit out to dry by their teams, essentially having to race each other to the start line.
Nick T.
6th July 2024, 16:40
It was especially embarrassing for AM and Sainz. The McLarens at least got a run. These teams are ridiculous. 3 cars worth of track evolution are not worth a frantic out lap where you can’t properly prep your tires, energy, get clean or even the right frame of mind.
Nick T.
6th July 2024, 16:51
Oh, it looks like AM is also going to get Alonso a penalty for working on his car while he had his nose in the pit lane. What a shoddy operation they’re running. Their position at the end of the garage is a huge disadvantage though. They either need to cue first or let everyone get in front.
I’m on the edge about whether Lance deserves a penalty for the red light. He’s so close to the end, he was already accelerating out. His only option would have been slamming on the brakes as he hit the white line.
72defender (@72defender)
6th July 2024, 16:28
Sweet!
Mercedes looking better every race!
Jere (@jerejj)
6th July 2024, 16:31
A relatively exciting qualifying & a decently mixed-up grid on the front rows.
What an error by Checo, though. Embarrassing, very embarrassing, especially as he wasn’t even on a flying lap.
At this rate, his chances of even seeing out the season, let alone seeing through his upcoming contract stint, are only getting lower & lower.
A decent qualifying for Sargeant for a change, albeit too little too late.
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
6th July 2024, 16:33
Good stuff and nice work from Hulk again.
Max will be faster tomorrow after repairs though, so expect fun and games from him ;)
And Perez ….. what should we say about Perez?
BLS (@brightlampshade)
6th July 2024, 16:37
I doubt many are too surprised by what happened to Perez today. At least Max was kind enough to go off at the same corner to try and make Sergio feel a bit better.
Nick T.
6th July 2024, 16:36
Aston Martin is embarrassing. Fernando better fry their asses or we know he really is going soft.
Nick T.
6th July 2024, 16:37
BTW, this a reference to them not getting him out in time for his only new tire run. Not the car.
Frasier (@frasier)
6th July 2024, 16:37
Anyone else irritated by the C4 commentary suggesting Jim Clark had arisen from his grave to take pole position in the 1968 British GP ahead of two other Brits [said it more than once too!] If they are going to dig up old stats at least make them correct.
Nick T.
6th July 2024, 16:38
Is C4 a British radio station?
Frasier (@frasier)
6th July 2024, 17:00
British terrestrial TV channel, they usually broadcast highlights a few hours after the session/race.
AlanD
6th July 2024, 17:25
Frasier, when they said “since 1968”, they didn’t mean specifically the British GP. It was the opening GP of that year, at Kyalami in South Africa, where the top three were Jim Clark, Graham Hill, and Jackie Stewart, which I think was also Jim Clark’s last GP, and if I remember correctly, Jackie Stewart was driving either a Matra or a Tyrell which was still fibre glass green because they hadn’t had time to do a proper paint job.
Frasier (@frasier)
6th July 2024, 18:29
AlanD, OK, not the way I understood what they were saying, but you are correct about the SA GP grid, JYS was driving a Matra. Tyrell came after the abortive March experiment.
AlanD
6th July 2024, 20:02
Frasier, it is quite possible they said it the way you heard it. I must admit I don’t listen too closely to the commentators any more.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
6th July 2024, 19:25
Yes, I saw that stat too during quali, and impressed that this is the first time 3 british drivers took the top 3 at home.
David (@nvherman)
6th July 2024, 19:29
@frasier this was mentioned in the Sky commentary as well
Kribana (@krichelle)
6th July 2024, 16:39
Can someone at Red Bull just slap Horner in the head to wake him up? Jeez Perez is just Mazepin and Ide at this point. Either you help him or get rid of him.
Ben
6th July 2024, 16:42
The Verstappens were key in ensuring Perez was signed on a multi year deal. Max doesn’t want real competition so I understand this was purely to keep Max.
Nick T.
6th July 2024, 16:45
But they won’t keep him even for Max if this continues even a single more race. My prediction: they either replace him over the summer or much more likely, they gave him one or two more races after the summer break to get his act together. There are obviously performance clauses that would allow RBR to drop him. There’s no way there’s not a clause that says if you score less than x points over so many races RBR retains the option to release you.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
6th July 2024, 19:26
Hopefully they’re thoughtful enough to have put such a clause, because I don’t have high expectations from a team that re-signs a clearly underperforming driver when they could’ve waited a few more races to see the situation.
BMW P85 V10
6th July 2024, 19:44
Max repeatedly stated that he is on his own and that they need 2 cars up front to be able to fight for a WCC. He gets along very well with Perez but rather would have someone pushing him some more.
Drg
6th July 2024, 20:24
But his team boss knows that the mid year, right now, resource allocations are helped if your your not romping away like the couple of years
It might be tight – good idea to have some slack building a car for your fastest guy and getting the best of the end of year resources you can. Meanwhile looking just a bit rough in the at the moment constructors — even though your leading
Hmmm
Nick T.
6th July 2024, 21:48
Max should have actually said that when they were shopping around. Instead he actively campaigned against a competitive signing. I remember him specifically saying that signing Alonso wouldn’t make sense due to his age because, of course, Max is super concerned over what is best for the team’s long term driver pool.
Edvaldo
6th July 2024, 23:35
It’s hilarious to think he’s looking absolutely terrible and there’s talks of him being sacked yet he has a brand new contract for next season.
I hope it’s a contract that locks him to the seat unless they buy him out.
These gutless decisions need to come back and bite them where it hurts.
Nick T.
6th July 2024, 23:47
I’m sure no matter what, there will be at least some buyout cost. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were graded performance clauses and buyout costs. I mean, if I could think of it, I am guessing their attorneys obviously did….
…kidding, we have endless examples of supposed big shot experts showing they’re incompetent all the time and the only thing that differentiates them is a more expensive suits and better family connections.
Patrick (@anunaki)
6th July 2024, 16:56
Nice for the English crowd to have a complete English too 3 👌
Patrick (@anunaki)
6th July 2024, 16:56
Top
AlanD
6th July 2024, 18:11
Patrick, i suspect it matters more to the press than it does to the fans. Yes, people do tend to pay more attention to drivers from heir own counry, just because they’ll spek the same language and have more local press coverage, so there’ll be more Norris fans at Silversone than you’d expect to find at most tracks, but I;d be surprised if there were that many race fans at Silverstone who would be cheering on the top three on the basis of waving the union jack. There’ll be plenty of British people there who are fans of non-British drivers. If the comentators hadn’t been banging on about it, I doubt I’d have noticed that the top three were all English.
Nick T.
6th July 2024, 21:50
I don’t know. The crowd was roaring pretty loud. Too bad Piastri wasn’t given a shot at a competitive second run though.
David West
6th July 2024, 18:51
Max will win this unless it’s wet. Then he might win but more of a lottery.
José Lopes da Silva
6th July 2024, 19:15
Three British drivers in the first three places of the grid?
And in Silverstone?
I’ll be waiting for Keith’s stats article.
melanos
6th July 2024, 20:17
Especially after Carlos, Max and Oscar make the podium tomorrow =p
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
6th July 2024, 20:26
I would be even happier to see Stroll, Yuki and Sergeant up there :)
Nick T.
6th July 2024, 21:53
It’ll be P1 Piastri P2 Hamilton P3 Sainz
João Macedo
6th July 2024, 20:54
AlanD, you are absolutely right, I was there… The front row was lark, Hill and Stewart. The great Jim Clark didn’t do his usual flying start but before the end of first lap he overtook Stewart in that ugly green Matra Cosworth. And, yes, it was Clark’s last F1 victory.
João Macedo
6th July 2024, 20:54
… Clark