F1 British GP live commentary and updates - Qualifying
Follow all the minute-by-minute action from qualifying at F1's British Grand Prix in Silverstone
Live Standings
Live Text
Welcome
Hello everyone, and welcome to our live coverage of the 2025 British Grand Prix.
Qualifying at Silverstone is one of the better days of the F1 season. Low fuel, brand new soft tyres and an iconic high-speed venue that awaits.
Three-way battle?
What's more, free practice has shown that McLaren may not have the front row all to itself. Charles Leclerc topped FP3, and Max Verstappen also appeared within striking distance of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Catch up with what happened earlier today.
Big penalty for Bearman
Haas driver Ollie Bearman suffered a shunt into the pitlane entrance at the end of that red-flagged FP3 session, and it's safe to say the British rookie has not impressed the stewards.
After the red flag came out for Gabriel Bortoleto's off, Bearman simulated a high-speed pit entry, locked up the rear tyres and spun into the barriers.
That's not what you're supposed to do under red flag conditions, so the stewards have handed him a 10-place grid penalty.
"Art. 37.6 (a) of the Formula One Sporting Regulations and Art. 2.5.4.1(b) of Appendix H of the International Sporting Code require that when a red flag is shown ‘all cars must immediately reduce speed and proceed slowly back to the pitlane’.
"It is beyond doubt that the driver of Car 87 did not proceed slowly back to the pitlane when he accelerated to simulate entering into the pit entry road under race conditions. In fact, we looked at a previous in-lap under normal racing conditions and found that he was faster in this lap, under a red flag.
"To make matters worse, he lost control of the car and crashed into the barriers while at speed. The driver informed us that he misjudged the fact that his brakes were not warm because the lap was done slowly, due to the red flag. While this may have been a factor contributing to the crash, we did not consider it to be a mitigating factor."
Last five polesitters
We are looking for a successor to George Russell, who grabbed pole last year before team-mate Lewis Hamilton went on to win the race for a ninth time.
2024 – George Russell (Mercedes)
2023 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2022 – Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
2021 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2020 – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
Now at Ferrari, Hamilton also has the most poles around Silverstone (7).
Qualifying will be done on Pirelli's C4 compound, which is a step softer than last year. That should especially affect an expected two-stop race tomorrow. Very few drivers have tried the C2 hard tyre so far.
Rain risk
The clouds gathering above Northamptonshire are still looking as ominous as they did this morning. We're going to get a dry start to qualifying, with a 30 percent chance of rain.
Air temperature: 19.5C
Track temperature: 25.3C
The feel of an impending downpour
"The wind in the paddock has very much picked up, with clouds looming large over NN12. Is rain on the way? It's not emerged yet, but it certainly has the feel of an impending downpour.
"Most of the paddock hangers-on have sought refuge out of the pitlane and into the hospitality areas. The drivers won't have that luxury."
Our thanks for that rain update from our weatherman Jake Boxall-Legge, who is standing in for Ollie Williams this weekend.
Just seven minutes to go until the start of Q1, so let's see whether it will stay dry or start raining sideways.
As long as there's no disrupting deluge, either is fine for us. Silverstone qualifying is spectacular rain or shine.
Some times to keep in mind:
Russell's pole last year was a 1m25.819s. The track record was set in 2020 by Hamilton: 1m24.303s.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc set a 1m25.498s lap in FP3, so if it stays dry we're about to go a fair bit quicker than the 2024 pole at least.
Start of Q1
The lights at pit exit turn green. We are underway for Q1 at Silverstone.
The Sauber drivers are leading a stream of cars out of pitlane. The frontrunners are staying in for now, though.
Drizzle
"Some drizzle," reports Pierre Gasly.
Surely you would have to go out soon and set a banker lap, in case the rain persists.
Not sure if Gasly's radio message helped, but most drivers are out on track now, including all cars from McLaren, Ferrari, Nercedes and Red Bull.
Albon leads the early runners in the Williams ahead of both Alpines. His 1m26.392s lap won't stay there for long, though.
Piastri ahead of Verstappen
Oscar Piastri draws first blood with a 1m26.002s, narrowly edging ahead of Max verstappen.
It's a great lap by Fernando Alonso, who is third ahead of Norris, Russell and Hamilton.
Colapinto in the gravel
By going out so early, Gasly, Colapinto and Stroll have already gotten in a second run.
But it's all going wrong for Colapinto, who spins out off the final corner!
Red flag
The young Argentine initially does well to get out of the gravel, after gently tagging the wall with the right-front.
But it looks like he has come to a halt after all.
It's a small error with big consequences for Colapinto, but it will inevitably fuel further speculation about his Alpine stint, as he is on a race-by-race evaluation deal.
Will Flavio Briatore remain patient or is he going to have another coffee with Toto Wolff and chat about Valtteri Bottas?
Replays show Colapinto went a bit wide over the high kerbs coming out of the penultimate corner, which unsettled the car.
Session will resume at 15:21
The track is clear and we will have 6:49 left on the clock once the green flag waves. That's just one more run, then. Positioning your way in traffic will be crucial.
Green flag
The clock is running. Oscar Piastri takes pit exit pole, if you will.
Piastri reported more droplets, and the TV cameras are also starting to get a bit blurry. This is going to be sketchy.
Norris is first across the line and it's a 1m26.123s, which is a slight improvement but still only good enough for fifth.
Verstappen P1
Max Verstappen also find as bit of laptime and sets a 1m25.886s to go to the front.
Stroll, Hulkenberg, Lawson, Colapinto and Gasly are in the dropzone as the clock keeps ticking away.
Bearman goes third with a great lap, shame about that 10-place grid drop! Albon is also safe in fourth.
Hamilton on the verge of Q1 exit
Concern for Lewis Hamilton, he is in the pits and is only 13th! There was no time to refuel and send him back out.
End of Q1
Lawson can't do it. He moves up but it's only good enough for P16. Pierre Gasly just scrapes through in 15th, and Hamilton will also breathe a sigh of relief in 14th.
Eliminated:
16 - Lawson
17 - Bortoleto
18 - Stroll
19 - Hulkenberg
20 - Colapinto
Slim margins
Max Verstappen was quickest with a 1m25.886s, while Nico Hulkenberg was 19th with a 1m26.574s.
Not counting Colapinto, that is an obscenely small spread with just seven tenths covering the grid. Wow!
Q2 starts
We go again with the remaining 15 cars for Q2. With the possibility of more rain, it's Max Verstappen who heads out immediately.
While Verstappen starts his flyer, Norris and the two Mercedes drivers are only just leaving the pits.
The track seems to be in decent condition as Verstappen finds half a second compared to Q1.
He leads with a 1m25.316s.
Identical times
Oscar Piastri matches Verstappen's time and goes second! You don't see many of those.
Alonso is third while we await the rest of the top teams.
Russell is giving Antonelli, ahead of him, the hurry-up. "His outlap is way too slow, I'm having to back up!"
Norris goes top
Lando Norris leads the first round of Q2 laps. That's a 1m25.231s for the Briton, less than a tenth clear of the inseparable Verstappen and Piastri.
Ferraris in the dropzone
Leclerc and Hamilton looked great throughout practice, btu they have a bit of work to do now.
Dropzone:
11 - Hamilton
12 - Antonelli
13 - Leclerc
14 - Gasly
15 - Tsunoda
"What is Antonelli doing?"
Antonelli is already carrying a three-place grid drop for smashing into Verstappen in Austria, mind.
But as far as Alonso is concerned, the young Italian is in line for another penalty as he felt the rookie was impeding him.
"What is Antonelli doing? I mean, it's good he will get a penalty. Good positions for us!"
5 minute warning
The second and last barrage of runs is coming up. Again, Red Bull's Verstappen is first out.
The threat of rain seems to have abated, for now.
It's a touch slower from Verstappen, he remains second. The McLarens can't go quicker either as all are on used tyres.
Ferrari seems to have saved its new sets for the second run.
Hamilton goes top
That choice has paid off for Ferrari! Hamilton and Leclerc go first and second on their new softs.
Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda only manages 10th and looks in danger of dropping out again.
End of Q2
Brilliant from Pierre Gasly! The Alpine man dumps out Carlos Sainz - and Tsunoda - and books a place in Q3.
Eliminated:
11 - Sainz
12 - Tsunoda
13 - Hadjar
14 - Albon
15 - Ocon
By: Filip Cleeren
