British GP: Max Verstappen steals unlikely pole with Silverstone stunner

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has stolen another unlikely pole position, qualifying fastest for the British Grand Prix ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

It was a stunning lap that allowed him to capitalise on the mistakes of others in the dying moments of the session to upset the championship leader.

Max Verstappen on pole as Lewis Hamilton falls agonisingly short

Piastri was a tenth shy of pole, the Australian having lost time at the final corner as the back end of his McLaren stepped out.

Lando Norris will start third, with George Russell alongside him while Lewis Hamilton was only fifth fastest in a session where he proved capable of contenting for pole position.

As the session commenced, a light drizzle fell across the circuit, though not heavily enough to prompt a rush out of the lane or a change to intermediate tyres.

That left the Silverstone circuit for almost the exclusive use of Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg in the opening minutes.

It got busier five minutes into the segment, with all 20 drivers on track.

Max Verstappen was the fastest of them initially, logging a 1:26.041s to lap over a tenth clear of Lando Norris’ first effort.

In the other McLaren, Oscar Piastri was quicker still, inching ahead by 0.039s to move onto provisional pole.

Franco Colapinto lost the rear end of the Alpine as he rounded the final corner with eight minutes remaining, skipping through the gravel and lightly finding the barrier.

Though he was able to recover the car, he pulled over at pit exit to trigger the red flags with just under seven minutes remaining.

Under the stoppage, the five drivers in the drop zone were Bortoleto, Esteban Ocon, Hulkenberg, Colapinto – whose fate was therefore sealed – and Pierre Gasly.

The FIA subsequently confirmed the red flag was for both the recovery of Colapinto’s Alpine, but also minor repairs to the barrier at the final turn.

It was a 10-minute interruption before the remaining 19 runners were released back on track – the drizzle that had been present having mildly intensified.

Moments later, officials advised they’d noted Charles Leclerc for a yellow flag infringement – Colapinto’s spin the only yellow of the session to that point – though that was quickly waived.

Despite the continued spots of rain, lap times were improving; Oliver Bearman shooting up to third to highlight the ramping track conditions.

While most fuelled their drivers for two flying laps, Ferrari opted not to with either Leclerc or Lewis Hamilton.

It left the Scuderia duo in a precarious position as others improved, bumping them down the order.

The nine-time British GP winner survived the cull in 14th, one place up from Gasly, the five who missed the cut were Liam Lawson, Bortoleto, Lance Stroll, Hulkenberg, and Colapinto.

As he had been in the opening segment, Verstappen topped proceedings with his initial lap in Q2 with a 1:25.316s.

Piastri managed an identical time, though he was classified behind the Dutchman owing to setting the lap after the Red Bull driver.

The opening runs saw a mix of new and used tyres, with both Ferrari drivers on used and in the bottom five after their efforts.

Hamilton was only 11th and Leclerc 13th, Kimi Antonelli splitting the pair in the second Mercedes. Also at risk were Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda.

For their final runs, Norris, Verstappen, and Piastri were all on used tyres, the former having surged onto provisional pole with his first lap in the segment on a 1:25.231s.

That became second when Hamilton finished his lap, logging a 1:25.084s to head team-mate Leclerc by 0.05s.

The Ferraris were among the first to set their laps, managing to maintain their place at the top of the standings as the chequered flag waved.

Missing out were Carlos Sainz, Yuki Tsunoda, Isack Hadjar, Alex Albon, and Esteban Ocon.

Behind Hamilton and Leclerc came Norris, then Verstappen, Piastri, an impressive Bearman, Fernando Alonso, Antonelli, George Russell, and Gasly.

All 10 cars headed out as soon as Qualifying 3 commenced, Bearman the first to record a time, though it was a steady effort, four tenths shy of his own best from Q2.

It was faster than Antonelli managed, by some three tenths, though it was predictably and quickly bundled down the order as the frontrunners completed their initial timed laps.

That saw Piastri provisionally fastest with a 1:24.995s, a four-tenth gain on his Q2 lap as Hamilton slotted himself in second fastest.

The Brit was just over a tenth off the pace of the lead McLaren, while a mistake from Norris left him third with Verstappen fourth best.

Ahead of their final Q3 runs, Verstappen was last out of the lap with just over two minutes left on the clock.

Russell was one of the first on track, and rose to second fastest with a 1:25.-29s, quickly dropping to third as Norris improved.

However, the Austrian GP winner could do nothing about Piastri, his 1:25.010 only good enough for second behind his team-mate, Piastri, who remained on provisional pole.

An untidy end to the lap cost Hamilton a shot at pole position as he was unable to improve, sitting fourth as Verstappen completed his lap.

The Dutchman, for the third time this season, duly delivered an unlikely pole position lap to steal it away from Piastri.

His 1:24.892s saw him end the session fastest from Piastri, with Norris third from Russell, Hamilton, Leclerc, Antonelli (who will take a three-place penalty), Bearman (who has a 10-place penalty), Alonso, and Gasly.

However, with penalties applied, Bearman will slip to 18th and Antonelli 10th for Sunday’s race, promoting Alonso to seventh, Gasly to eighth, and Sainz to ninth.

British Grand Prix qualifying 2025

1 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:24.892

2 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.103

3 Lando Norris McLaren +0.118

4 George Russell Mercedes +0.137

5 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.203

6 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.229

7 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.482

8 Oliver Bearman Haas +0.579

9 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.729

10 Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.893

11 Carlos Sainz Williams 1:25.746

12 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull 1:25.826

13 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls 1:25.864

14 Alexander Albon Williams 1:25.889

15 Esteban Ocon Haas 1:25.950

16 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls 1:26.440

17 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber 1:26.446

18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:266.504

19 Nico Hulkenberg Sauber 1:26.574

20 Franco Colapinto Alpine 1:27.060

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