F1 British Grand Prix LIVE: Qualifying results as Lando Norris makes front row
Formula 1 heads back to one of its most famous sites as Silverstone hosts the 2023 British Grand Prix this weekend.
Last time out in Austria, Max Verstappen continued his dominant form with a fifth straight win this season, extending his lead in the world championship to 81 points, with team-mate Sergio Perez in second.
Lewis Hamilton endured a mixed weekend in Spielberg, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished on the podium. Hamilton, George Russell and Lando Norris will be eyeing strong results this weekend at their home race, with recent upgrades for both Mercedes and McLaren renewing optimism in both camps.
On Friday at a bright and sunny Silverstone, Max Verstappen was quickest in first and second practice. Carlos Sainz won last year’s action-packed race for Ferrari, his first and only win in F1.
Follow British Grand Prix live updates with The Independent this weekend - qualifying started at 3pm (BST).
F1 BRITISH GRAND PRIX - QUALIFYING
Lance Stroll knocked out in Q2, also out: Hulkenberg, Ocon, Sargeant, Bottas
Sergio Perez out in Q1, also out: Tsunoda, Zhou, De Vries, Magnussen
Charles Leclerc set the pace in third practice; Albon 2nd; Alonso 3rd
Max Verstappen was quickest in both practice sessions on Friday
EXCLUSIVE: 20 years since Irish ‘lunatic’ invaded the track at Silverstone
Jackie Stewart suffers stroke and falls ‘unconscious’ in frightening health scare
Lando Norris reacts to P2
16:18 , Kieran Jackson
“Yeah baby!”
Lando Norris almost in tears after being told he will line up in second for the British Grand Prix...
Max Verstappen just beats Lando Norris to pole!
16:17 , Kieran Jackson
Max Verstappen is on pole position for the British Grand Prix - taking it off Lando Norris right at the death!
Huge cheers around Silverstone with Norris on pole for a matter of seconds before Verstappen took it off him by two-tenths!
And Oscar Piastri P3... WHAT A SESSION FOR MCLAREN!
4-10: Leclerc, Sainz, Russell, Hamilton, Albon, Alonso, Gasly
All the cars head out of the pit lane for their final flying laps
16:13 , Kieran Jackson
So, can Lewis Hamilton or anyone else better Max Verstappen’s first lap of 1:27:084? Even if not, that’s a very exciting front row for tomorrow!
Final part of Q3 coming right up!
Max Verstappen quickest with Lewis Hamilton P2 currently
16:09 , Kieran Jackson
That DRS has seemingly made the difference! Max Verstappen quickest with a 1:27:084, 0.633 seconds clear of Lewis Hamilton in second!
Oscar Piastri with a terrific lap is currently P3, with Charles Leclerc fourth and Carlos Sainz in fifth.
6-10: Alonso, Albon, Gasly, Russell, Norris
Should be noted that Verstappen had brand new softs on, Hamilton did not.
Six minutes to go...
Q3 is underway!
16:03 , Kieran Jackson
The final session of qualifying now underway - and DRS has now been enabled given the dry conditions!
That, you would think, will favour the Red Bull of Max Verstappen...
Q3 starts in two minutes!
16:00 , Kieran Jackson
I think we’ve got a very exciting Q3 coming up, a lot of drivers on top-form today!
The 10 drivers involved in Q3: Verstappen, Piastri, Norris, Albon, Sainz, Leclerc, Alonso, Hamilton, Gasly, Russell
Lance Stroll knocked out in Q2
15:57 , Kieran Jackson
The track was constantly ramping up towards the end there - and Lance Stroll misses out on Q3 in P12! George Russell sneaks through in 10th...
Bottom-five (11-15) and out in Q2: Hulkenberg, Stroll, Ocon, Sargeant, Bottas
Max Verstappen quickest but a good session from McLaren: Oscar Piastri in second, Lando Norris in fourth.
Alex Albon fourth too!
Lewis Hamilton goes quickest
15:52 , Kieran Jackson
On a new set of softs, Lewis Hamilton goes quickest with a 1:28:545; Piastri 2nd; Verstappen 3rd
Current bottom-five (11-15); Ocon, Hulkenberg, Stroll, Sargeant, Bottas
The Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz only eighth and ninth. Pierre Gasly is in 10th.
Four minutes left...
Lewis Hamilton only 10th-fastest after first set of hot laps
15:47 , Kieran Jackson
Lewis Hamilton with a 1:30:217 sneaks into the top-10, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll in the bottom-five...
Current bottom-five (11-15): Alonso, Stroll, Albon, Sargeant, Bottas
A reminder that Valtteri Bottas is out already due to that mechanical failure and will be 15th throughout this session.
At the top, incidentally, Lando Norris leads the way from Pierre Gasly and Max Verstappen!
10 minutes to go...
Q2 is underway at Silverstone!
15:40 , Kieran Jackson
The sun is coming out - but all the drivers are being warned of imminent rain!
Big queue at the end of the pit lane - as the Aston Martin pair of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll lead the pack out.
15 minutes - who will make the top-10 shootout?
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz not impressed with each other!
15:34 , Kieran Jackson
As all the cars were lining up in advance of their final hot lap, there was a bit of jousting between both Ferraris!
“Nice, nice overtake Carlos,” says a sarcastic Leclerc.
Sergio Perez out in Q1!
15:31 , Kieran Jackson
Wow! Times constantly improving as qualifying ends - and Sergio Perez misses out in P16!
He misses out by 0.019 seconds - with Fernando Alonso in 15th! Session ends with Valtteri Bottas - in 11th - stopping out on track! He’ll be out of qualifying even though he’s made Q2!
Also out, 17-20: Tsunoda, Zhou, De Vries, Magnussen
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen race down the Wellington straight!
15:28 , Kieran Jackson
Lewis Hamilton was holding up the Red Bull coming out of the pit lane... think he’s trying to make sure he goes over the start-finish line as close to zero as possible...
All 19 cars will get a chance here!
Q1 back underway!
15:27 , Kieran Jackson
Right, bit of an odd session this so far, but we’re back underway.
Every car should get around for one hot lap...
A reminder, current bottom-five (16-20): Zhou, Sargeant, Bottas, Albon, Hulkenberg
Max Verstappen breaks his front wing
15:24 , Kieran Jackson
Q1 will resume in two minutes - but Max Verstappen, heading out of the garage, has hit the pit wall!
“I just understeered and it just didn’t grip,”
That’ll need replacing! Wow, a rare error by the Dutchman... in the pit lane!
"I just understeered and it just didn't grip" 📻
Max hits the pit wall and damages his front wing! 😮 pic.twitter.com/cjBc5Kyuc5— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 8, 2023
RED FLAG - Kevin Magnussen stops in sector three!
15:16 , Kieran Jackson
Kevin Magnussen’s Haas has stopped at Stowe!
“Everything’s switched off!” Nightmare for the Dane - and the red flag is thrown with three minutes and 11 seconds left!
Current bottom-five (16-20): Magnussen, Zhou, Sargeant, Bottas, Albon
Sergio Perez dangerously close in P14; but we’ll have a stoppage here...
Nyck de Vries under threat with a penalty for an unsafe release
15:15 , Kieran Jackson
Mistake from AlphaTauri in the pit lane - they’ve let De Vries out right in the path of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
Alex Albon heading out in Q1 as it stands
15:13 , Kieran Jackson
“Yeah, it’s raining everywhere at the moment,” says George Russell.
Five minutes to go and Alex Albon - who has been so good in practice - is currently 19th after losing it slightly at Stowe!
Current bottom-five (16-20): Zhou, Sargeant, Bottas, Albon, Hulkenberg
Sergio Perez in the bottom-five
15:09 , Kieran Jackson
A worrying few minutes with Lewis Hamilton P20 but he gets himself up 10th...
Track constantly improving here, but rain is expected in around five minutes so these laps could be vital!
Current bottom-five (16-20): Gasly, Magnussen, Hulkenberg, Perez, Piastri
Top-3: Alonso, Russell, Norris
Eight minutes to go...
Lewis Hamilton spins!
15:05 , Kieran Jackson
Bit of a moment for Lewis Hamilton at the end of the Hangar Straight!
He loses control of his Mercedes and spins into the gravel - but crucially keeps the car moving so he can continue in the session!
Lewis Hamilton goes for a spin in Q1 but manages to keep the car going after going through the gravel! 🌀 pic.twitter.com/1bVEtKAHjT
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 8, 2023
Charles Leclerc changing tyres already in Q1
15:02 , Kieran Jackson
Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, Logan Sargeant, Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg start on inters, but Leclerc already boxing for softs...
Q1 is underway!
15:01 , Kieran Jackson
First qualifying session is underway - 18 minutes where the slowest five drivers will be eliminated from qualifying.
DRS is disabled given the variable conditions...
F1 qualifying at the British Grand Prix
14:59 , Kieran Jackson
There’s already a queue at the end of the pit lane, with the Mercedes pair of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton at the front!
They’re both on soft tyres, the track clearly drying up enough after third practice earlier. Some cars are on intermediate tyres though...
F1 qualifying at the British Grand Prix
14:50 , Kieran Jackson
We’re 10 minutes from qualifying at Silverstone - and it’s just started raining!
It could well be a very interesting session. No doubts who the favourite is in Max Verstappen, but variable conditions certainly give the rest of the grid a chance.
Here are the Driver Standings ahead of this weekend:
14:46 , Kieran Jackson
1) Max Verstappen - 229 points
2) Sergio Perez - 148 points
3) Fernando Alonso - 129 points
4) Lewis Hamilton - 108 points
5) Carlos Sainz - 86 points
6) Charles Leclerc - 72 points
7) George Russell - 70 points
8) Lance Stroll - 43 points
9) Esteban Ocon - 31 points
10) Lando Norris - 22 points
11) Pierre Gasly - 17 points
12) Nico Hulkenberg - 9 points
13) Alex Albon - 7 points
14) Oscar Piastri - 5 points
15) Valtteri Bottas - 5 points
16) Zhou Guanyu - 4 points
17) Yuki Tsunoda - 2 points
18) Kevin Magnussen - 2 points
19) Nyck de Vries - 0 points
20) Logan Sargeant - 0 points
Pierre Gasly would certainly like some rain
14:41 , Kieran Jackson
Rain at Silverstone 🌧️
Liked by @PierreGASLY ❤️#BritishGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/WGT4ImreUZ— Formula 1 (@F1) July 8, 2023
Any chance of rain?
14:37 , Kieran Jackson
The forecast does show dry conditions for the start of qualifying, but it does remain overcast at Silverstone.
A spot of rain would certainly shake-up the chain of events...
British Grand Prix preview - Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes struggle as British Grand Prix gets Hollywood sprinkling
14:30 , Kieran Jackson
By Kieran Jackson at Silverstone
On a Silverstone weekend where the presence of Brad Pitt and the Apple Studios crew is the talk of the town, the as of yet untitled Formula 1 film’s executive producer – the sport’s very own A-lister – struggled at his spiritual home on Friday.
Lewis Hamilton remains without a win in 19 months since Saudi Arabia in the penultimate round of the 2021 season. Last year, a thrilling British Grand Prix won by Carlos Sainz saw the eight-time winner come close, but the 38-year-old remains on an unprecedented winless streak.
This weekend, despite Mercedes bringing an upgraded front-wing, the practice pace simply wasn’t there for Hamilton or his team-mate George Russell. In both sessions, both drivers finished outside the top-10.
Full report below:
Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes struggle as British Grand Prix gets Hollywood sprinkling
If McLaren could, they would...
14:22 , Kieran Jackson
"I could put a rocket on it and make it go faster!" 🚀
Professor Brian Cox has some ... interesting ideas to help McLaren go faster this weekend 😂 pic.twitter.com/9vHLdgtdpv— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 8, 2023
Here’s the Constructors’ Standings ahead of the weekend:
14:09 , Kieran Jackson
1) Red Bull - 377 points
2) Mercedes - 178 points
3) Aston Martin - 172 points
4) Ferrari - 158 points
5) Alpine - 48 points
6) McLaren - 27 points
7) Haas - 11 points
8) Alfa Romeo - 9 points
9) Williams - 7 points
10) AlphaTauri - 2 points
British Grand Prix: 20 years since Irish ‘lunatic’ invaded the track at Silverstone
13:48 , Kieran Jackson
Exclusive by Kieran Jackson
“Oh my goodness me!” screamed ITV’s lead Formula 1 commentator James Allen, words struggling to comprehend the sheer craziness of what was being witnessed. “We’ve got a lunatic on the track!”
When a group of protestors from Just Stop Oil invaded the circuit last year during the opening lap of the British Grand Prix, it wasn’t Silverstone’s first run-in with track invaders. Contrarily, 20 years ago, the 2003 British Grand Prix was 10 laps in before deranged Irish priest Neil Horan sprinted up the fiercely quick Hangar Straight.
Many drivers had to swerve to avoid him as Horan, dressed in a brown kilt, madly ran into the racing line of F1 cars speeding at 200mph while waving banners which read: “Read the bible” and “The Bible is always right.”
Full piece below:
British Grand Prix: 20 years since Irish ‘lunatic’ invaded the track at Silverstone
Charles Leclerc did have a moment in the rain!
13:21 , Kieran Jackson
Charles styling out the spin 🌀 pic.twitter.com/Lvy9LvhBlt
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 8, 2023
Charles Leclerc sets pace in final British Grand Prix practice before rain arrives
13:06 , Kieran Jackson
FP3 report
Charles Leclerc finished fastest in a rain-hit final practice session for the British Grand Prix.
The Ferrari driver set the pace in the dry running before heavy rain arrived at Silverstone.
Williams’ Alex Albon took second place, one spot ahead of Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso, with Pierre Gasly fourth for Alpine and Lewis Hamilton fifth.
More below:
Charles Leclerc sets pace in final British Grand Prix practice before rain arrives
FP3 CLASSIFICATION
12:46 , Kieran Jackson
Here are the full results from third practice:
FP3 CLASSIFICATION (60/60 mins)
Qualifying should be mega! 🤩#BritishGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/HRNO6i2awW— Formula 1 (@F1) July 8, 2023
Charles Leclerc fastest in FP3
12:33 , Kieran Jackson
So that’s your lot for practice this weekend - and for once it’s not Max Verstappen at the top of the standings!
Charles Leclerc quickest in that session before the rain came, with a 1:27:419 beating another impressive showing by Alex Albon in second by 0.173secs.
Fernando Alonso was third, three-tenths off the pace for Aston Martin, with Pierre Gasly fourth and Lewis Hamilton fifth, 0.529secs off Leclerc.
6-10: Sainz, Sargeant, Verstappen, Russell, Tsunoda
Red Bull won’t be too bothered, though, even if Sergio Perez was only 14th-fastest.
Most now giving it a go on inters
12:27 , Kieran Jackson
They won’t improve their time but, just in case it rains later or tomorrow, most are now out on track on intermediates.
Plenty of spray coming out the back of all the cars at the end of the straights, it remains quite wet out there.
Most cars in the pits now
12:21 , Kieran Jackson
Given the wet weather, we’ve definitely had our quickest times already and most cars are opting now to spend any time out on track.
Rain isn’t expected for qualifying later.
Top-10: Leclerc, Albon, Alonso, Gasly, Hamilton, Sainz, Sargeant, Verstappen, Russell, Tsunoda
10 minutes to go, Another brilliant session for Williams’ Alex Albon.
Bit of an error down at McLaren!
12:07 , Kieran Jackson
The incident that Lando Norris and McLaren will be investigated for after the session 👇 pic.twitter.com/5CpcLTZppH
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 8, 2023
Rain at Silverstone!
12:00 , Kieran Jackson
It’s raining at Silverstone, with race control stating it is now a wet track.
Most cars now coming into the pits.
Charles Leclerc is fastest still with that 1:27:419, while Alex Albon is 0.179 seconds down in second - another terrific lap from the Williams!
Fernando Alonso is third, with Pierre Gasly in fourth.
5-10: Hamilton, Sainz,Sargeant, Verstappen, Russell, Tsunoda
Leclerc stays out on soft tyres, keen to get as much time behind the wheel as possible after missing out on FP2 yesterday...
Lightning at Stowe!
11:55 , Kieran Jackson
Oscar Piastri says there’s been some lightning around turn 15 which is Stowe...
The rain is coming in!
Charles Leclerc goes quickest by half-a-second
11:50 , Kieran Jackson
20 minutes gone and Charles Leclerc has set the early benchmark - a 1:27:419 is quicker than Lewis Hamilton in second by half-a-second!
Carlos Sainz is third. Max Verstappen now takes to the track on softs.
5-10: Russell, Stroll, Perez, Akibsim Tsunoda, Albon
Mercedes reserve Mick Schumacher present again in the garage
11:46 , Kieran Jackson
Hey, @SchumacherMick ☺ pic.twitter.com/gQOiENDYuB
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 8, 2023
Carlos Sainz fastest early on
11:43 , Kieran Jackson
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, who won here last year, quickest so far with a 1:27:964, with Max Verstappen three-tenths back in second.
Sergio Perez is 0.940 seconds off Sainz in third, with Lewis Hamilton over a second slower than Sainz in fourth.
5-10: Leclerc, Russell, Norris, Ocon, Alonso, Piastri
Cars gradually switching to softs now from mediums...
FP3 underway!
11:30 , Kieran Jackson
So the final hour of practice is underway at an overcast Silverstone!
It has rained a bit this morning but it’s currently dry, with the track still all good for slicks. Can anyone challenge Max Verstappen at the top?!
Let’s hope Ferrari have sorted the issues with Charles Leclerc’s car for practice this morning!
11:26 , Kieran Jackson
Charles Leclerc gives an update on the issues on his Ferrari that kept him out of FP2 👇 pic.twitter.com/ZrIMVwt89V
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 7, 2023
And here’s the Constructors’ Standings ahead of the weekend:
11:22 , Kieran Jackson
1) Red Bull - 377 points
2) Mercedes - 178 points
3) Aston Martin - 172 points
4) Ferrari - 158 points
5) Alpine - 48 points
6) McLaren - 27 points
7) Haas - 11 points
8) Alfa Romeo - 9 points
9) Williams - 7 points
10) AlphaTauri - 2 points
Alex Albon provides closest threat to Red Bull in British Grand Prix practice
11:15 , Karl Matchett
FP1 report
A dominant Max Verstappen set the practice pace in the first running of the weekend at the British Grand Prix.
The double world champion, a winner at seven of the opening nine rounds of a one-sided campaign, finished nearly half-a-second clear of Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez.
Lewis Hamilton managed only 12th in front of his home supporters, two places ahead of fellow Briton George Russell in the other Mercedes.
Alex Albon was an impressive third for Williams with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso fourth. Charles Leclerc finished fifth for Ferrari.
Alex Albon provides closest threat to Red Bull in British Grand Prix practice
British Grand Prix: 20 years since Irish ‘lunatic’ invaded the track at Silverstone
11:10 , Karl Matchett
Exclusive by Kieran Jackson
“Oh my goodness me!” screamed ITV’s lead Formula 1 commentator James Allen, words struggling to comprehend the sheer craziness of what was being witnessed. “We’ve got a lunatic on the track!”
When a group of protestors from Just Stop Oil invaded the circuit last year during the opening lap of the British Grand Prix, it wasn’t Silverstone’s first run-in with track invaders. Contrarily, 20 years ago, the 2003 British Grand Prix was 10 laps in before deranged Irish priest Neil Horan sprinted up the fiercely quick Hangar Straight.
Many drivers had to swerve to avoid him as Horan, dressed in a brown kilt, madly ran into the racing line of F1 cars speeding at 200mph while waving banners which read: “Read the bible” and “The Bible is always right.”
Full piece below:
British Grand Prix: 20 years since Irish ‘lunatic’ invaded the track at Silverstone
Here are the Driver Standings ahead of this weekend:
11:03 , Kieran Jackson
1) Max Verstappen - 229 points
2) Sergio Perez - 148 points
3) Fernando Alonso - 129 points
4) Lewis Hamilton - 108 points
5) Carlos Sainz - 86 points
6) Charles Leclerc - 72 points
7) George Russell - 70 points
8) Lance Stroll - 43 points
9) Esteban Ocon - 31 points
10) Lando Norris - 22 points
11) Pierre Gasly - 17 points
12) Nico Hulkenberg - 9 points
13) Alex Albon - 7 points
14) Oscar Piastri - 5 points
15) Valtteri Bottas - 5 points
16) Zhou Guanyu - 4 points
17) Yuki Tsunoda - 2 points
18) Kevin Magnussen - 2 points
19) Nyck de Vries - 0 points
20) Logan Sargeant - 0 points
British Grand Prix preview - Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes struggle as British Grand Prix gets Hollywood sprinkling
11:00 , Karl Matchett
By Kieran Jackson at Silverstone
On a Silverstone weekend where the presence of Brad Pitt and the Apple Studios crew is the talk of the town, the as of yet untitled Formula 1 film’s executive producer – the sport’s very own A-lister – struggled at his spiritual home on Friday.
Lewis Hamilton remains without a win in 19 months since Saudi Arabia in the penultimate round of the 2021 season. Last year, a thrilling British Grand Prix won by Carlos Sainz saw the eight-time winner come close, but the 38-year-old remains on an unprecedented winless streak.
This weekend, despite Mercedes bringing an upgraded front-wing, the practice pace simply wasn’t there for Hamilton or his team-mate George Russell. In both sessions, both drivers finished outside the top-10.
Full report below:
Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes struggle as British Grand Prix gets Hollywood sprinkling
FP2 CLASSIFICATION
10:59 , Kieran Jackson
Here were the full results from second practice:
FP2 CLASSIFICATION
And that's a wrap... Verstappen fastest. Electrical issues deny Leclerc any track time #BritishGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/71ESFp1uMl— Formula 1 (@F1) July 7, 2023
F1 qualifying at the British Grand Prix!
10:53 , Kieran Jackson
Good morning and welcome to qualifying at the British Grand Prix with live updates from The Independent.
Max Verstappen looked on red-hot form in practice on Friday, topping the timesheets in both sessions, while Williams impressed and Mercedes struggled with an upgraded car.
But today, there’s rain in the air which could throw a bit of uncertainty into the mix!
Free practice 3 on Saturday is at 11:30am with qualifying at 3pm (BST).
