F1 LIVE | Follow Sprint Qualifying of the 2026 British Grand Prix here!

After only a single free practice session at the British Grand Prix, the first critical session is set to get underway at the Silverstone Circuit as attention turns to Sprint Qualifying. As in Qualifying, six drivers will be eliminated in both SQ1 and SQ2 before the final ten battle for Sprint pole position. In the first two sessions, however, it will be mandatory for the drivers to use the medium tyres.

The biggest concern entering the weekend is the battery-consuming nature of the Silverstone Circuit. Among others, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton also warned about this issue. He said during the drivers' press conference on Thursday: "If you look at the speed traces, we start losing deployment going into Copse. So, Copse, normally engine’s screaming as you go into Copse and you’re holding on for dear life as you go through there flat out. This year, the engine will be coasting down most likely. We’ll be downshifting from seventh to eighth whilst full throttle, trying to keep the engine revs higher, and it’ll be a long, long straight from 9 to 10 with no deployment, basically."

Hamilton was also the quickest during the first and only practice session earlier today. The Briton finished around two tenths ahead of Kimi Antonelli. Max Verstappen set the sixth-fastest time, finishing around a second behind his former title rival.

Silverstone is set to host the fourth Sprint weekend of the 2026 Formula 1 season, with Zandvoort and Singapore set to host two more later in the campaign.

In China, George Russell was victorious, finishing ahead of the two Ferrari drivers, Charles Leclerc and Hamilton. This came after Kimi Antonelli was penalized for causing a collision with Isack Hadjar.

In the Miami Sprint, for the first time in the 2026 season, it was not a Mercedes driver who crossed the finish line in first place. McLaren secured a one-two, with Lando Norris claiming the top prize. Leclerc completed the Sprint podium that Saturday. In the Canada Sprint, Russell scored another eight points after, for the first time this season, he made contact with his teammate Antonelli in Turn 1. Norris then capitalized on the Italian running wide later on the same lap to finish second, separating the two Mercedes.