SILVERSTONE is packed with F1 fans ahead of Sunday's British Grand Prix.
We've a weekend of exciting racing ahead, with Lewis Hamilton looking to continue his stunning record at this track and stop the Red Bull charge.
And the Brit champion has pole for today's sprint race after a terrific drive during qualifying.
- TV/Live stream: Sky Sports F1/NOW TV
- Saturday, July 17: Practice 3 (12pm), Sprint race (4.30pm)
- Sunday, July 18: Grand Prix (3pm)
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Follow ALL the action from Silverstone with our live blog below…
- Ben Hunt
GREEN LIGHT – FP2 FOR THE BRITISH GP IS GO
Now, not too get your hopes up, but this is likely to be a 60 minute tyre test.
But it is ok, the good stuff is coming later, with F1's first sprint race to select the grid for the British GP.
- Marc Mayo
SPRINT FINISH
Lewis Hamilton is fired up for today's sprint race and has vowed to take the new concept very seriously – with points on offer for the top three finishers.
He said after qualifying: "It's just all guns blazing,
"I need to bring out the lion tomorrow and give it everything. It starts with the start so we'll be practising on that, we've got the long run practice in FP2.
"I mean passing the Red Bull is not easy, so it really helps to be where we are. But we've got to get off the line, and we've still got so many things and obstacles up ahead of us.
"The sprint race is going to be an interesting one, I think I've got the car where I need it, so we'll see."
- Marc Mayo
WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA TODAY?
Formula One second practice is at noon before the sprint race at 4.30pm.
The first of two F2 races has already taken place this morning, Rob Shwartzman winning despite causing a red flag with a spin in qualifying yesterday.
Their second race, on live on Sky Sports, is at 2.45pm.
And the W Series has its second race of the weekend at 1.25pm, shown live on Channel 4.
- Marc Mayo
NEVER FORGOTTEN
As we prepare to go racing today, F1 takes a moment to remember one of its own who sadly passed away on this day six years ago.
- Kealan Hughes
'WEIRD'
F1’s trial of a sprint race format at this weekend’s British Grand Prix has led to a timetable overhaul.
F1 has elected to stick with the final free practice session before Saturday afternoon's sprint qualifying, a move Max Verstappen has questioned.
He said: “What I find weird is you do qualifying and then you can't change anything on the car.
“Then you have another free practice and then the sprint race. Then I think to myself: why not drop that second free practice, as it doesn't really matter any more?
"It feels a bit weird to do a qualifying where there is nothing at stake. You don't really get that pole feeling or whatever. But hopefully we can attack on Saturday, we’ll see.”
- Kealan Hughes
'HAS THE TALENT'
David Coulthard believes George Russell can push Lewis Hamilton in the same way that Max Verstappen has in the title race this season.
"We saw George’s hunger and racing spirit when he came together with Valtteri in Imola. He probably overreacted there, which is just an opinion.
“But what we did see was his passion behind the wheel and that’s the sort of passion he’s going to need to beat Lewis.
"He’s not going to beat Lewis with pure speed, Lewis is one of if not the fastest drivers of the last decade, George I believe has the talent to match that speed.
"He’s going to beat him with that passion, that hunger, that ‘you might be Lewis Hamilton but when we go on track, I don’t care who you are’ Which is exactly what Max Verstappen delivers when he’s in the race car."
- Kealan Hughes
'I'M EXCITED'
Daniel Ricciardo says he will aim to attack cars ahead during Saturday’s Sprint Qualifying race as he targets a higher starting position for Sunday’s British Grand Prix.
On Friday, Ricciardo qualified seventh for the race, ending Q3 0.002s behind team-mate Lando Norris.
Although a crash risks putting a driver at the back of the field for Sunday’s grand prix, Ricciardo says he wants to capitalise on the opportunity to start further ahead on Sunday.
Ricciardo told Motorsportweek: “You’ve got to be a little bit smart about it, the points are on Sunday so you don’t want to ruin yourself for Sunday and do something silly.
“But no, I see it as an opportunity to start further up the grid on Sunday so we’ll do that.
“I’m excited about the format, I like having free practice go straight into quali, it’s kind of fun. It’s been a good day, I’m obviously just frustrated with such small margins, so I’ll calm down.”
- Kealan Hughes
PHOTO FINISH
F1 Sprint is finally here with the new race format set to dazzle spectators and excite the masses across three weekends this season.
This weekend's Grand Prix will take place at Silverstone in Northamptonshire, which will see the very first edition of F1 Sprint come to life.
What is F1 Sprint?
Essentially, F1 Sprint is a mini race which will be run over 100km on Saturday evening, with the usual Grand Prix distance.
F1 Sprint is designed to be a flat-out race from start to finish, and is set to excite the 140,000 fans in attendance.
Taking part will be the 20 drivers who qualified on Friday evening and their starting positions will be determined by their qualifying finishes.
Wherever you finish in F1 Sprint will then determine where you begin the British Grand Prix on Sunday.
- Kealan Hughes
MORNING FORMULA ONE FANS
An emotional Lewis Hamilton lost his voice as he worked overtime on a simulator to help win pole at Silverstone – buoyed by the return of 86,000 fans.
Britain's world champion beat F1 title leader Max Verstappen by 0.075 seconds for Sunday's new 17-lap race.
Hamilton's Mercedes team-mate was third, with Ferrari ace Charles Leclerc fourth.
Verstappen is 32 points clear in the championship after four wins in the last five races.
And Hamilton said of the simulator: "I was free and I said to the team that rather than sit around and waste time, I wanted to get to it and had a practice session.
"We are trying to squeeze everything from this car and it was holding together, so I am over the moon.
"It feels like such a long time since we have been able to get near [to Max] and to do it on our home turf is an incredible feeling."
As for fans being allowed back in such huge numbers, he added: “We have been missing this for a whole year, I have lost my voice a little.
"To come to Silverstone and have a full crowd like this. You feel the energy. This (pole) is down to the fans.”
- Ian Tuckey
LEW LOST HIS VOICE
Emotional Lewis Hamilton says he lost his voice amid the excitement of an 86,000-crowd returning to Silverstone and winning pole position.
Britain's world champ said: "We have been missing this for a whole years, I have lost my voice a little.
I am so grateful to see everyone here. To come to Silverstone and have a full crowd like this. You feel the energy.
"I was hopeful with the great work we did at the team and the energy of the fans would get us here. This is down to the fans."
- Ian Tuckey
HAM 'OVER THE MOON'
Pole-winner Lewis Hamilton says it was an "incredible" to finally match – and better – Max Verstappen's pace on home turf.
Watched by 86,000 at Silverstone, Hamilton's Mercedes took top spot ahead of Verstappen's Red Bull by 0.075 second.
Hamilton's team-mate Valtteri Bottas was third, in front of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.
McLaren's Lando Norris was sixth, with Williams' George Russell a brilliant eighth.
Hamilton said: "We have tried to stay focused on our job and I have been trying to layer it up in the simulator.
"I went to the factory in the morning to use it as a practice and try and give it everything and not leave any stone unturned.
"I was free and I said to the team that rather than sit around and waste time, I wanted to get to it and had a practice session.
"We are trying to squeeze everything from this car and it was holding together, so I am over the moon.
- Marc Mayo
REPORT
Get the full lowdown on today's qualifying with Ben Hunt's report from Silverstone here.
Credit: Reuters - Marc Mayo
TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK
Is this the start of a Mercedes fightback?
They will need both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas on form to keep up the pressure tomorrow, with Red Bull's Sergio Perez demoted to fifth after having a lap time deleted for exceeding track limits.
- Marc Mayo
HERE'S THE GRID
Take a look at the grid for tomorrow's sprint race.
- Marc Mayo
FIRST JOB DONE
Lewis Hamilton adds: "It feels like such a long time since we've been able to get anywhere near [pole].
"We've got the car in a good place and the work gets done in the next two days."
Credit: Reuters
- Marc Mayo
HAMILTON ALL SMILES
Lewis Hamilton has almost lost his voices as he gives his response.
The top qualifier says: "We've been missing this for a whole year, I'm so grateful to see everyone here.
"To have a full crowd like this, you see the energy. This is down to the fans.
"It was reminiscent of my first pole here in 2007 and I couldn't have done it without those fans."
- Marc Mayo
VERSTAPPEN 'WEIRD' QUALY
Max Verstappen says: "We just need to look at ourselves, just a lot of understeer so I couldn't really attack any corners.
"A bit of a weird feeling to drive, I don't think it was setup related. We're still quite close."
- Marc Mayo
BOTTAS CONTENT
Valtteri Bottas speaks to the broadcast coverage and has to battle over Lewis Hamilton's response from the crowd.
He says: "It was a good qualifying based on how good Red Bull was in practice.
"It's all to play for, it's quite interesting."
- Marc Mayo
HAM IT UP
Lewis Hamilton runs straight to the stand on the Hamilton Straight to mark that pole triumph in front of over 90,000 fans.
- Marc Mayo
CROWD GOES WILD
Silverstone and Lewis Hamilton enjoyed that one.
The Merc star tells his radio: "Get in there! Cracking job."
- Marc Mayo
LEW KNOW IT
Lewis Hamilton will start Saturday's Silverstone sprint race on pole after a blistering 1:26.134 in Q3, edging him past Max Verstappen.
Valtteri Bottas completes the front three with Lando Norris sixth and George Russell a staggering eighth.
- Marc Mayo
HAMILTON ON POLE
Max Verstappen also fails to improve his time, he misses out by less than a tenth!
- Marc Mayo
MERCS SET THE BENCHMARK
Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton are first to finish, and it's no quicker for the Brit as he almost loses it at Club!
- Marc Mayo
ONE LAST TIME
The other nine drivers are on their out laps for the final shot at pole position for tomorrow's sprint race…
- Marc Mayo
RUSSELL GOES IT ALONE
With a quiet track, George Russell heads off around Silverstone and receives a standing ovation at every corner – even before his time comes in.
A 1:26.971 puts him above both Ferraris! That's seventh again!
Credit: Reuters
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