Lewis Hamilton declared it an "amazing surprise" to be on pole for Saturday's Silverstone Sprint race after pipping Kimi Antonelli by just 11 milliseconds. The seven-time world champion sent the grandstands wild despite a small error at the final corners, earning a roar of approval as his name topped the timesheets.
Hamilton's Emotional Reaction
"I love this place, I love this crowd," Hamilton said with a beaming smile. Fellow Brits George Russell and Lando Norris managed only fifth and sixth respectively, leaving Hamilton as the undisputed king of Silverstone. "We didn't expect coming to Silverstone that we would be competing for the front row – we really, really didn't. So, this is an amazing surprise. I'm ecstatic," he added.
Ferrari's Strong Qualifying
Hamilton will line up alongside Antonelli on the front row, with Max Verstappen behind them. He expressed pride in his team for outperforming Mercedes and Red Bull despite believing Ferrari is still down on engine strength. "These guys and the Red Bulls, they have so much power. They've been doing amazing all year. But my team just keeps pushing, and that's what I'm so proud of," Hamilton said.
Charles Leclerc was fourth quickest, capping a strong qualifying performance from Ferrari overall. Hamilton praised the factory team: "The car felt really great today, thanks to everyone back at the factory for just continuing to push. We've got tiny little bits here. Every single weekend we're showing up with something, just everyone's pushed to the max."
Sprint Race Prospects
The short-form Sprint race means Hamilton won't have to defend for long to convert pole into victory. He remained optimistic about race pace but acknowledged the challenge from Mercedes and Red Bull's extra engine power. "Our pace was good. We did a short, sort of longish run in FP1 but there was not a lot of time, but the car felt good there. So, yeah, I think we should have a good race tomorrow," Hamilton said.
"I'm starting from the front row. I don't remember the last time I started from the front row here. It's not so easy when you've got these guys that can follow you and be close with the extra power, potentially, but I'll do my best to keep them behind," he added.
