George Russell (63) stands above his Mercedes F1 W15 after claiming pole position at the Silverstone Circuit for the 2024 Formula 1 British Grand Prix (Source: Mercedes AMG)
SILVERSTONE, United Kingdom – Less than a week after Mercedes and George Russell picked up a surprising victory in the Austrian Grand Prix, Formula 1 heads to the United Kingdom to end the European Triple Header. Russell looks to keep pace with Mercedes, but McLaren wants to return to victory lane.
Taking to the famed Silverstone Circuit, the 3.660-mile-long circuit claims the title of home of British motorsports and the first-ever Grand Prix. It is a former World War 2 airfield turned fast-paced circuit among the calendar’s favorites.
In the opening practice, a handful of teams determined to run their mandated junior drivers in free practice. Oliver Bearman, who had just been announced as a driver for Haas in 2025, was joined by Red Bull Racing’s Isack Hadjar, Williams’ Franco Colapinto and Alpine’s Jack Doohan.
In the opening moments of the first practice, with dark clouds building up in the distance, drivers and teams were ready to start gathering notes to perfect their cars as the weekend wore on. A red flag was raised when Yuki Tsunoda slid his Visa Cash App RB into the gravel early in the session. He subsequently got stuck and needed rescue.
Numerous drivers traded the top spot on the charts as the session resumed. Russell led the way at the beginning before Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz took the quickest time before the McLaren of Lando Norris could hold onto the fastest time through the end of the session. He led the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll, his teammate Oscar Piastri, the Red Bull of Max Verstappen and Russell closing out the Top 5.
George Russell (63) in his Mercedes W15 on track at the Silverstone Circuit in qualifying for the 2024 Formula 1 British Grand Prix (Source: Mercedes AMG)
The second practice began with teams still looking to the skies for rain. Teams immediately took to the track to gather as much data as possible before rain started falling. Verstappen started the session at the top of the charts while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc struggled with his car going through Maggots and Becketts.
As rain truly started to fall at the end of the session, it was once again the McLaren of Norris who led the way, ahead of his McLaren teammate Piastri. Back in the seat after sitting out the first practice while Hadjar took over for a junior driver session, Sergio Perez claimed the third-fastest time, ahead of a surprisingly quick Haas of Nico Hulkenberg and Leclerc recovered from his issues at the beginning of the session rounding out top five.
Rain continued overnight and into the third session, which meant teams and drivers had to take to the track carefully. To highlight how much the conditions changed, Kevin Magnussen, one of the first drivers on track in his Haas, was close to a minute slower than the quickest time in the Friday sessions. Verstappen went sliding out of Brooklands, and Pierre Gasly ended up in the gravel in Club, causing a red flag.
After spending some time in the garage, the field returned to the track, and Russell led his teammate Lewis Hamilton, followed by Norris at the top of the timing charts. Meanwhile, Sainz brought his Ferrari into fourth and Verstappen finished the session rounding out the top five.
The rain continued to fall as drivers got ready for qualifying to begin. However, the sun started to shine, changing conditions and transforming the track from wet to dry. While Verstappen had set the early benchmark, he and his teammate soon faced their issues. After switching to Soft compound tires, Perez soon found himself off-track in Copse, beaching his Red Bull in the gravel. Meanwhile, Verstappen had a moment in the same area later in the session but continued.
After failing to finish the qualifying round, Perez found himself in the elimination zone. He was joined by the Alpines of Gasly and Esteban Ocon, the Haas of Kevin Magnussen, and the Kick Sauber of Valtteri Bottas.
Track conditions were still changing, and times were closing in on the quick times set in the first practices. Norris had his McLaren hooked up and found himself on top of the timing charts. But the drama involved who would move on to the final round between Verstappen and Leclerc. The Red Bull seemingly suffered from possible damage from his trip through the gravel while the Ferrari struggled in the conditions at hand.
However, by the end of the session, Verstappen rose to the occasion once again to easily make it into the final round. At the same time, Leclerc was joined by the Williams of Logan Sargeant, the Visa Cash App RB of Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo, and the Kick Sauber of Zhou Guanyu.
The remaining ten teams soon entered the Top 10 shootout, which was set up to be a battle between McLaren and Mercedes. Once again, Norris looked quick, but Russell pipped his quick lap with Hamilton, showing he could have a chance for pole position.
George Russell (63) surrounded by both teammate Lewis Hamilton (44) and McLaren’s Lando Norris (4) following qualifying at the Silverstone Circuit for the 2024 Formula 1 British Grand Prix (Source: Mercedes AMG)
The final runs were now at hand as Norris hoped to claim another pole position. Times started to roll down, and the crowds cheered when Hamilton initially looked to pick up pole position. However, at the last moment, Russell came flying through to claim his second pole position of the season.
With George Russell, Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris clearing out the top three positions, it marked the first British one-two-three for the starting grid since the 1968 South African Grand Prix. They line up ahead of Verstappen and Piastri, who are rounding out the top five. Hulkenberg continued his impressive form, claiming sixth, ahead of Sainz, Stroll, the Williams of Alex Albon, while the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso rounded out the Top 10.
Teams now turn their attention to the British Grand Prix, where George Russell hopes to go back-to-back while his teammates, McLaren and Verstappen, look to climb back to the podium’s top step.
