06/07/2024
NEWS STORY
Ahead of Q1 the air temperature is 13 degrees C, while the track temperature is 21 degrees.
Though it rained for much of the F2 Sprint, it did produce some entertaining racing, not to mention a win for Kimi Antonelli.
With the rain looking likely to continue into this session, we looked set to expect some surprises and the possibility of a strange looking grid tomorrow. However, the English weather being what it is, the rain has given way to sunshine.
That said, Race Control warns of a 60% chance of rain over the next hour.
While yesterday, even in the dry, didn't give much insight into the pecking order, a number of teams clearly weren't happy, not least Ferrari which is understood to have reverted to its Imola spec for this session having had both its drivers on different set-ups on Friday.
Despite the sunshine, Q1 is declared a wet session. Then again, the track is still quite damp.
The lights go green and Sargeant leads the way, followed by Bottas, Zhou and Ocon.
"There's a small dry line forming everywhere," reports Bottas as Inters are currently the order of the day.
The big guns head out leaving the Haas pair as the only no-shows.
Sargeant sets a benchmark 40.215, while Zhou responds with a 39.368 and Ocon a 39.078.
That's more like it... Hamilton crosses the line at 37.759 and Verstappen 37.518.
A big, big slide coming out of the final corner for Norris at the start of his first flyer.
The McLaren driver subsequently goes second with a 37.607 as Leclerc goes fifth and Albon sixth.
With 12:00 remaining, Magnussen heads out, while his teammate stays put.
Leclerc is the first driver to switch to slicks, the Monegasque heading out on softs.
A 37.134 sees Hamilton go top, while his Mercedes teammate improves to 37.215.
Magnussen goes sixth with a 37.805, as Leclerc takes it cautiously on his slicks.
Oh dear, Perez (softs) is off and in the gravel at Copse. The session is red-flagged... as well might be his time with Red Bull.
The clock is stopped with 7:30 remaining.
"All I need is to be pushed back," says the Mexican from his car, "there is tarmac over there." However, the marshals want him out of his car... he subsequently obliges.
Replay show his running wide and then hitting the tarmac run-off which was much damper than the track and at that point he became a passenger.
As the cars line up in the pitlane, a big dark cloud closes in.
Indeed, as the lights are about to go green it begins to lightly spit... as Stroll has been noted for trying to leave the pit exit on a red light.
Norris is warned of incoming rain and told that his early laps will be important.
The lights go green and Bottas leads the way, followed by Zhou, Magnussen, Hulkenberg and Stroll... all of whom as on softs.
"The wind has picked up and is gusting," Ricciardo is warned as Russell and Verstappen finally leave the pits.
Bottas crosses the line at 32.431 to go top, as teammate Zhou goes second.
Magnussen splits the Stake pair as Hulkenberg goes quickest with a 31.929.
Piastri goes top with a 30.895 as Verstappen runs wide at Copse, much to the delight of the crowd.
Norris goes second, as Russell has his time deleted and Verstappen fails to improve.
The rain is now falling and the timing screens are now showing only yellow and the occasional green, but no purple.
Sainz goes second and Verstappen fourth as the rain appears to have eased allowing drivers to improve.
Albon goes second, demoting Stroll as Hamilton goes quickest in S2. The seven-time champ goes quickest with a 29.547 as Sargeant goes ninth.
Tsunoda goes quickest in S1 as Ricciardo goes sixth overall.
Alonso goes sixth, Russell second and Leclerc third as Zhou claims seventh.
Tsunoda improves to sixth, which is bad news for Bottas who drops into the danger zone.
Quickest was Hamilton, ahead of Russell, Leclerc, Sainz, Piastri, Tsunoda, Albon, Zhou, Alonso and Ricciardo.
We lose Bottas, Magnussen, Ocon, Perez and Gasly.
Alonso and Stroll are to be investigated after the session for a pitlane incident.
Albon leads the way as Q2 gets underway, the Williams driver followed by Sargeant, Zhou, Stroll and Alonso.
The sky is now blue with lots of fluffy white clouds... "Normal grip conditions", according to Race Control.
Albon posts a 27.983 to get proceedings underway, Alonso responding with a 27.652.
A 27.631 sees Piastri go top while Verstappen can only manage fourth (27.799).
Sainz goes quickest, but is demoted when Norris bangs in a 27.432.
Hamilton and Russell both have poor S2s, as does Leclerc, while Stroll goes eighth with a 28.160.
Hamilton improves to third with a 27.549, while his teammate can only manage ninth.
Albon goes fourth with a 27.553 as Alonso goes quickest in S2, subsequently crossing the line at 27.279.
Hulkenberg goes eighth (27.718), but is demoted when Leclerc stops the clock at 27.667.
Sainz leapfrogs Alonso with a 27.149, only for Piastri to respond with a 26.945.
With 4:00 remaining, Hulkenberg goes quickest in S1. He posts a PB in the second sector, crossing the line at 26.847 to go top.
Meanwhile, Red Bull is reporting that Verstappen's off in S1 has caused significant damage to his floor.
Sargeant goes fourth, but Russell has a 26.766 up his sleeve.
Hamilton goes second, just 0.004s down on his teammate, as both are demoted by Norris (26.559).
Verstappen heads out with just under two minutes remaining. He is currently ninth.
Albon improves to fifth as Leclerc bounces his way through Copse.
Piastri goes second, Leclerc seventh, Sainz fifth and Tsunoda tenth.
Verstappen, currently twelfth, improves to sixth, while Alonso posts a 26.730 to go second.
Russell goes second and Stroll tenth, which means Leclerc fails to make the cut.
"We're out, right?" asks Leclerc. "Yes, we're out," he is told.
Quickest is Norris, ahead of Russell, Alonso, Piastri, Hamilton, Verstappen, Sainz, Hulkenberg, Albon and Stroll.
We lose Leclerc, Sargeant, Tsunoda, Zhou and Ricciardo.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Silverstone here.
In the Red Bull garage the mechanics swarm over Verstappen's car like worker bees attending their Queen.
Q3 gets underway, and Albon leads the way, followed by Verstappen, Piastri, Alonso and Norris. The Spaniard, his teammate and Stroll all on used rubber while the rest are on new.
Albon posts a benchmark 27.008, and while Verstappen responds with a 26.237, Norris bangs in a 26.030.
Sainz goes fourth, ahead of countryman Alonso, but both are demoted when Hulkenberg goes third with a 26.401.
Hamilton goes second with a 26.196, but his teammate claims provisional pole with a 26.024, thereby demoting the seven-time champ to third.
Ahead of the final assault, it's: Russell, Norris, Hamilton, Piastri, Verstappen, Hulkenberg, Sainz, Stroll, Alonso and Albon.
Once again, Albon leads the way as the cars head out for the final assault, the Thai driver followed by Stroll, Hulkenberg, Verstappen and Hamilton. Last out are Sainz, Alonso and Piastri.
Verstappen makes a slight mistake at Aintree (Turn 5), as Hulkenberg goes purple in S1.
Albon goes eighth, but is demoted by Stroll.
Hulkenberg goes fifth, while Verstappen can only manage fourth.
Hamilton goes quickest with a 25.990, but as the crowd roars Russell crosses the line at 25.819.
All eyes are on Norris... however the McLaren driver pits.
So, Russell heads a Mercedes front row lock-out, with Hamilton ahead of Norris, Verstappen, Piastri, Hulkenberg, Sainz, Stroll, Albon and Alonso.
Leclerc is eleventh, ahead of Sargeant, Tsunoda, Zhou, Ricciardo, Bottas, Magnussen, Ocon, Perez and Gasly
As it stands, conditions are expected to be mixed again tomorrow, the thunderstorms interspersed with bright sunshine... which sounds about right for a typical British summer.
"I'm happy with P3," says Norris. "Three Brits lock out the top three so pretty cool here.
"Good laps by George and Lewis," he adds, "they did an excellent job and put in some nice laps. A little mistake on my part at the end but P3 is still good."
"First off a big thanks to this incredible crowd," says Hamilton, "so proud to be here.
"Three Brits in the top three is incredible," he adds. "Huge congratulations to George, he did such a great job.
"We definitely didn't expect to be front row this weekend but this is huge for us and for our team. The car felt fantastic out there so everyone in the garage here, all our team that have come here, they deserve this."
"What a feeling," grins Russell. "At the start of the year I don't think we could have dreamt of being on pole here.
"A 1-2 for Lewis and I, Lando in P3... this is just mega. It's down to all these fans as well, they give us so much energy. Thank you so much for that."
Check out our Saturday gallery from Silverstone here.