SILVERSTONE, England – Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time in qualifying for the inaugural Formula 1 Sprint race on Friday at the Silverstone Circuit.
The Mercedes driver topped the charts with a fast lap of 1:26.134, which put him .075 seconds ahead of Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen.
Hamilton was ecstatic following his strong qualifying effort in front of his home country crowd.
“I am so grateful to see everyone here – to come to the Silverstone Grand Prix and have a full crowd and see the energy is amazing,” Hamilton said. “When I was coming into this weekend, I was hopeful that with the great work we have done together in the team, plus the energy of the fans, it would get us there.
“Red Bull were very quick in the practice session but we were just staying focused on our job and trying to layer up – I was in the sim this morning as a practice session because it’s the first time ever we have had a morning free. I was just putting in the time, trying to give absolutely everything and leave no stone unturned.”
“We’ve been working so hard, putting so much effort and time in – at the track, on the sim, in the factory – just trying to stay centered and squeeze every last thing out of this car. It’s been such a difficult time for everyone and we finally got all the fans here at the British Grand Prix, and the desire to want to deliver for everyone is beyond belief.”
As a result of his strong qualifying effort Friday, Hamilton will start from the pole during Saturday’s inaugural Formula One sprint race that will set the field for Sunday’s British Grand Prix. The race will be 100km in length and the order of finish will be the order in which the field lines up for Sunday’s race.
Valtteri Bottas qualified third to lead the second row, followed by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Red Bull driver Sergio Perez qualified fifth, followed by McLaren’s Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo, Williams’ George Russell, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. and Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel.