F1 LIVE | Norris triumphs in his home Grand Prix as Hulkenberg conquers historical first F1 podium

From “understeering to the moon” on Friday to pole position on Saturday, Max Verstappen once again proved why he’s the benchmark in F1. The Dutchman looked out of sorts all through FP1 and FP2 struggling with his RB21. But Red Bull made bold overnight changes, reducing downforce and debuting a new floor upgrade, a risky combo that paid off. “It’s not perfect,” Verstappen said about the configuration's balance, “but it held on, and that’s why we stuck with it.”

The floor update helped, along with Verstappen’s adaptability. Through the fast, unforgiving Silverstone, he kept the car on edge and just ahead of the charging McLarens. “We take it race by race,” he said, downplaying the turnaround. But after a nightmare start to the weekend, this pole has sets up a fierce battle for Sunday’s Grand Prix win.

Max Verstappen reminded everyone why he’s still the qualifying king at Silverstone, snatching pole from McLaren with a near-perfect final run in Q3. While McLaren looked poised to lock out the front row, Verstappen’s lap, particularly in the first two sectors, was enough to keep Piastri and Norris behind. For McLaren boss Andrea Stella, there was no shock at all. “I stopped being impressed by Max… he can do anything,” he told Viaplay.

The gap at the finish? Just over a tenth. But Stella believes that only highlights how good Verstappen’s lap really was. “There’s more gap between pole and second than between second and fifth, so well done to Max,” he added. Oscar Piastri will line up P2 with Norris in P3, while George Russell inserted himself between the papaya duo and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton in P5.