KIMI Antonelli completed a commanding Saturday at Silverstone, backing up his maiden Formula One Sprint victory with a fifth Grand Prix pole of the season to further tighten Mercedes' grip on qualifying in 2026.
The championship leader edged Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in a dramatic British GP qualifying session, where he looked untouchable in the decisive stages of Q3.
Antonelli went on to set the eventual 1:24.583 pole benchmark after trading fastest times with Leclerc in the closing runs.
READ: George Russell turns pole to statement win in Austria GP
Lewis Hamilton completed a strong day for the Scuderia in third, while George Russell ensured both Mercedes cars occupied the first two rows.
Isack Hadjar continued his impressive campaign by qualifying fifth for Red Bull, ahead of hometown favorite Lando Norris. Max Verstappen could only manage seventh after struggling to piece together his final lap, with Oscar Piastri lining up eighth for McLaren.
Racing Bulls also enjoyed an excellent session, as Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson completed the Top 10.
The result also extended Mercedes' remarkable qualifying streak, with the Silver Arrows claiming pole position in all nine GPs contested so far this season through Antonelli's latest one-lap masterclass.
"The last lap was very tidy, I have to be honest. It all came together. It was very tricky with the wind because it was very gusty and unpredictable. We built our way through Qualifying, and to bring home pole is very satisfying," Antonelli said.
Kimi thwarts Lewis in F1 Sprint
Earlier, Antonelli made another breakthrough by capturing his maiden F1 Sprint victory, overtaking Hamilton in a thrilling duel before pulling away over the closing laps.
Hamilton converted Sprint pole into the early lead, with the pair immediately broke clear of the field, while Norris surged from sixth to third after a lightning getaway.
Behind them, Russell and Verstappen engaged in an intense fight, as the Dutchman slipped backward off the line.
Antonelli patiently shadowed Hamilton through the opening laps before making his move on Lap 8, using Overtake Mode to breeze past the Ferrari down Hangar Straight. Once in clean air, the Mercedes driver quickly stretched his advantage, leaving Hamilton with no answer over the remaining laps.
Antonelli crossed the line 2.7 seconds clear to become the sport's youngest Sprint winner at 19 years old.
Hamilton settled for second, while Norris completed the podium after holding off a late charge from Russell. Leclerc finished fifth ahead of Verstappen, with Piastri taking seventh and Lawson claiming the final Sprint point in eighth.
By the end of Saturday, Antonelli had checked off two more milestones, pairing his first Sprint victory with a fifth Grand Prix pole of the season to put himself in prime position to add a sixth victory on Sunday.
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