05/07/2025
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's qualifying session the air temperature is 19 degrees C, while the track temperature is 25 degrees. After yesterday's sunshine, this afternoon, like this morning, it is overcast, with a definite feeling of rain in the air.
Leclerc was quickest earlier, repeating the strong pace we witnessed from the Ferraris. He topped the timesheets from Piastri, Verstappen and Norris, the four covered by just 0.108s.
Unfortunately, two late red flags - one due top debris on the track, the second after Bortoleto went off and landed in the kitty litter - we never got to see the true pecking order for a number of drivers, including Hamilton and the Mercedes pair, enjoying the cooler temperatures, never got to complete their flyers, while the Aston Martins didn't even try the softs.
What we do know is that Tsunoda was an impressive fifth quickest and Bearman has a 10-place grid penalty for failing to slow when entering the pitlane under the red flag. Antonelli has a three=place drop for his first lap clash with Verstappen last weekend.
It was a mighty lap from Verstappen in particular, while Albon did well to finish seventh and, as ever, the RB pair are looking threatening.
Traffic and blustery winds are likely to be an issue this afternoon - and tomorrow - along with track limits, along with potential damage to cars from the unforgiving kerbs.
The lights go green and Bortoleto is first out, his team having done a great job of repairing his car.
With rain in the air we are likely to see lots of early action.
Indeed, the Brazilian is followed by his Stake teammate, Stroll, Gasly and Colapinto.
"Some drizzle," reports Gasly.
Bortoleto posts a 27.475 and Hulkenberg a 27.477, while Colapinto crosses the line at 27.060.
Quickest in all three sectors, Albon stops the clock at 26.932.
At this point the big guns head out.
Verstappen, wringing the neck of his car, posts a 26.041, as Antonelli responds with a 26.513.
Norris goes second (26.165) having been quickest in S3.
Leclerc goes third with a 26.930 as Piastri goes top (26.002), Alonso third and Hamilton sixth, behind Russell. These six are covered by 0.294.
Hadjar goes seventh and Bearman eighth.
Quickest in S1, Sainz goes eleventh overall with a 26.487.
Tsunoda can only manage 14th (26.652).
"Stay calm, just tell me what you're thinking," urges Russell.
Colapinto spins off into the gravel in the final corner after running over the outside kerb. Much to the delight of the crowd he gets going again, much to the relief of his colleagues there is no red flag.
However, he subsequently stops near the pit lane exit causing the session to be red-flagged due to the gravel he has dumped on the track.
6:49 remains as the Argentine climbs from his car. "I lost the rears," he tell his team as Flavio Briatore busies his head in his hands. (That Flav's own head in his own hands - a sign of despair - as opposed to a Godfather type thing involving Colapinto's head...)
As the session resumes Piastri reports "some drops in the pitlane".
Almost all head out as Hamilton reports that the track is "not the same" and "more slippery".
Leclerc has been noted for a yellow flag infringement.
Albon improves to third with a 26.093 and Norris fifth.
Verstappen goes quickest with a 25.886 and Bortoleto eleventh.
Alonso has not gone out, though third could he come to regret his decision.
Bearman goes third, Ocon seventh and Tsunoda ninth.
Antonelli goes eighth.
Russell goes tenth, as Leclerc improves to eighth.
In twelfth, Hamilton wants to go again but is told he doesn't have enough fuel.
Lawson goes fourteenth, Hadjar eighth and Sainz eighth.
Gasly goes fifteenth, while Hamilton makes it by the skin of his teeth.
Alonso's gamble pays off as he remains fifth, having saved a set of tyres.
"I just lost the car on the exit," says Colapinto, "it is not nice today for us. I just struggled to find the limit in Q1. I was trying to push and unfortunately made a mistake. I'm sorry and hopefully not too much damage."
Quickest is Verstappen, ahead of Piastri, Bearman, Albon, Alonso, Norris, Ocon, Sainz, Hadjar and Leclerc.
We lose Lawson, who made a mistake and ran wide on his final flyer, Bortoleto, Stroll, Hulkenberg and Colapinto.
Verstappen gets Q2 underway, followed by Hamilton, Leclerc, Tsunoda and Piastri.
The four-time world champion posts a 25.316.
Hamilton can only manage 26.109 and Leclerc a 26.311, though both are on used rubber.
Piastri - like Verstappen on fresh softs - posts exactly the same time as the Dutchman.
Alonso goes third (25.707) and Sainz fourth, as Russell complains that the driver ahead - his Mercedes teammate - is too slow.
Norris goes top with a 25.231, 0.085s quicker than Verstappen and Piastri.
Russell goes fourth and Antonelli twelfth.
"What's Antonelli doing," asks Alonso after coming across an indecisive Mercedes driver. "He gets a penalty is good for us," adds the Spaniard.
Again, for the final assault, Verstappen leads the way, followed by Albon, Bearman, Norris and Leclerc.
The Ferrari pair - eleventh (Hamilton) and thirteenth - are both on fresh softs. Verstappen and the McLarens are on used rubber.
Hamilton goes quickest in S1, as Leclerc goes quickest with a 25.133. Hamilton responds with a 25.084.
Alonso goes seventh, Tsunoda tenth.
Ocon fails to improve as Gasly goes ninth and Antonelli eighth.
"It's a totally different car," says Albon. "We're making it difficult for ourtselves."
In the Mercedes garage Toto Wolff looks unimpressed as his drivers finish eighth (Antonelli) and ninth.
Quickest is Hamilton - much to the crowd's delight - ahead of Leclerc, Norris, Verstappen, Piastri, Bearman, Alonso, Antonelli, Russell and Gasly.
We lose Sainz, Tsunoda, Hadjar, Albon and Ocon.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Silverstone here.
The green light signals the start of Q3 and Bearman leads the way, followed by Verstappen, Antonelli Piastri and Norris.
"That was pretty marginal of Mercedes," claims Piastri.
As more drivers head out all are on fresh rubber bar the Mercedes pair.
Verstappen and Piastri trade fastest times in the opening sector.
Bearman crosses the line at 25.899, as Verstappen responds with a 25.267.
Antonelli posts a 26.217 but is demoted when Piastri stops the clock at 24.995.
Norris goes second with a 25.167.
"This car is just so difficult," complains Verstappen as Hamilton goes second (25.130) and Leclerc fifth (25.292).
Russell goes sixth and Alonso seventh, ahead of Bearman, Antonelli and Gasly.
After running wide in Stowe, Piastri asks for the floor of his car to be checked. There is a "little bit" confirms Zak Brown.
Antonelli is first out for the final assault, followed by Russell, Bearman, Norris and Piastri. Verstappen is last out.
Piastri goes quickest in S1, but Hamilton goes quicker.
At the line Russell posts a 25.0259 to go second, as Norris responds with a 25.010.
A mistake in the final corner means Piastri fails to improve.
Hamilton can only manage fourth following a scruffy final sector.
Wow! Wow! Wow! Verstappen takes pole with a wonder lap. Quickest in the opening two sectors he crosses the line at 24.892, 0.103s up on Piastri.
"What a lap," says Christian Horner, and indeed it was.
As precise as Verstappen was, so the likes of Piastri, Norris, Hamilton and Leclerc only have themselves to blame for their laps were scruffy.
Zak Brown has said elsewhere that it would be a "disaster" for Red Bull is it loses the Dutchman and you can see why, he really is making the difference.
No fairy-tale for Hamilton or indeed Norris, but with the top six covered by just 0.229s we could be in for a thriller tomorrow.
So Verstappen has pole, ahead of Piastri, Norris, Russell, Hamilton, Leclerc, Antonelli, Bearman, Alonso and Gasly.
Sainz qualifies eleventh, ahead of Tsunoda, Hadjar, Albon, Ocon, Lawson, Bortoleto, Stroll, Hulkenberg and Colapinto.
"Good Qualifying," says Norris, "I'm not going to be unhappy with a third.
"I would love to be on top at Silverstone," he adds, "but Max did a good job today.
"Little things today put you ahead or behind. Little margins, little mistakes can win or lose you the game today.
"It was tough in the conditions with the rain as well, but I think it is going to be fun tomorrow."
"I was happy with the first lap, the first lap was mega to be honest," says Piastri.
"The last lap was a little bit messy, but it has been tight all weekend.
"There was a little bit on the table but we will never know if it would have been enough," he admits.
"It can be an exciting race from there tomorrow. It's been very evenly matched between us, Max, the Ferraris and George got up there as well.
"It will be an evenly paced race tomorrow, it is going to be a fun one."
"It was tricky out there with the wind," says pole-man Verstappen, "it was all shifting around a bit and around here with these cars, it is extremely sensitive to it.
"This is a proper track, when you have to go flat out you have to be super committed," he adds.
"We are quite quick on the straight, we have to wait and see what tomorrow will do but I am happy, it is a big boost for the team and excited to go racing tomorrow.
"We are going to go racing, we are going to have fun and we are going to do the best we can," he promises.
And that is good enough for us. Bring it on.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Silverstone here.