British top three as Russell takes pole at Silverstone

George Russell led a location one-two-three successful British Grand Prix qualifying from Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton and McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Russell hit Hamilton to rod position by 0.171 seconds pinch Norris, 2nd to Russell aft nan first laps successful nan last session, 0.211secs disconnected nan gait aft failing to complete his 2nd lap.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was 4th fastest, struggling pinch a car damaged by a tally done nan Copse gravel trap successful nan bedewed first session.

It is nan first clip 3 British drivers person been astatine nan beforehand of nan grid astatine their location expansive prix since 1962, erstwhile Jim Clark was connected rod from John Surtees and Innes Ireland.

The convention started successful nan rain, and much aliases little dried progressively passim contempt ray rainfall returning astatine 1 point, but Russell, Hamilton and Norris person looked speedy each weekend.

The result, contempt nan mixed conditions and unusually acold conditions of conscionable 14C, is besides further confirmation of a Mercedes revival successful caller races pursuing a bid of upgrades to their car.

Russell, victor successful Austria past play aft Norris and Verstappen collided while fighting for nan lead, said: “What a feeling. At nan commencement of this year, I don’t deliberation we could moreover person dreamt of being connected rod there. On rod pinch Lewis and Lando apical three, it’s conscionable mega.”

Hamilton said: “Three Brits successful nan apical 3 is incredible. George did specified a awesome job. We didn’t expect to beryllium connected nan beforehand statement this weekend. This is immense for our team.

"The car felt great, it was conscionable astir getting a tyre temperatures successful nan correct place.

“There was still clip near connected nan table, which George managed to find, but pinch nan conditions we tin activity together to support Lando behind.”

Norris admitted he had made a correction which forced him to abort his last thigh - he was successful nan pits erstwhile Russell and Hamilton secured nan beforehand row.

Norris said: “I’m happy pinch P3. Three Brits fastener retired nan apical three, truthful beautiful cool here. Good laps by George and Lewis both. They did an fantabulous job.

“A small correction connected my portion astatine nan extremity but P3 is still good.”

The convention started connected a bedewed track, but Hamilton and Russell group retired their stall quickly by going first and 2nd fastest, while Verstappen was only 11th, aft his disconnected astatine Copse.

His team-mate Sergio Perez had different hopeless time successful a mediocre tally of form, spinning astatine Copse aft his first thigh and beaching his car successful nan gravel. The Mexican will commencement 18th.

Red Bull’s mechanics tried desperately to repair Verstappen’s car arsenic overmuch arsenic they could successful nan breaks betwixt nan 3 sessions but it remained successful acold from optimum information and he was incapable to situation nan flying British drivers.

Ferrari besides had a difficult day. The Italian squad abandoned their Spanish Grand Prix aerodynamic upgrade complete nighttime connected Friday aft struggling pinch aerodynamic bouncing.

But Charles Leclerc was still struggling pinch his car’s handling and did not make it retired of nan 2nd session, qualifying 11th. Team-mate Carlos Sainz did make it done was was only seventh fastest.

Fernando Alonso was different to autumn level successful nan last session.

The Aston Martin driver was 3rd fastest successful nan 2nd convention but aft an first thigh connected utilized tyres, he was precocious retired of nan pits and had his retired thigh compromised by different cars.

The consequence was that he aborted his last tally connected caller tyres successful nan apical 10 shoot-out and will commencement 10th, 2 places down team-mate Lance Stroll, pinch Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg betwixt them.

Both Aston Martin drivers faced investigations from nan stewards - Alonso for his mechanics moving connected nan car successful nan accelerated lane of nan pit lane; Stroll for leaving nan pits erstwhile nan exit ray was red.

Alonso escaped penalty, while Stroll was fixed a reprimand.