#Antonelli captures maiden #Sprint victory at #BritishGP. #F1

Antonelli British Sprint Victory – Championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli became the youngest-ever Sprint winner after capturing the British GP Sprint victory by 2.745 seconds over home favourite Sir Lewis Hamilton who came second for Ferrari whilst reigning world champion Lando Norris completed the top three for McLaren.

Antonelli increased his World Driver’s Championship lead to 43 points over Mercedes team-mate George Russell (179-136) with Qualifying to come later and the 52-lap British Grand Prix tomorrow.

When the 100km 17-lap British GP Sprint began, pole-sitter Hamilton made a good start alongside Antonelli as the former squeezed the latter back into Abbey as further back Verstappen dropped three places.

Norris with Straight Mode sailed overtook Antonelli down the National Straight into Copse Corner.

Later on in the tour, Antonelli made his way back in-front of Norris on the Hangar Straight with a fully recharged battery as Russell moved up into third place after passing Norris and Leclerc.

The beginning of the second tour Hamilton 0.9 seconds ahead of Antonelli with Norris third, Russell fourth, Verstappen fifth, Piastri sixth, Leclerc seventh as Gasly rounded out the top three.

Colapinto made a great start as well, the Alpine driver was up to 11^th.

Russell made his way past by Norris and then Verstappen overtook Russell.

The third tour – Russell struggles on that last lap were going to be costing – as while they all battled, Hamilton and Antonelli could disappear up the road.

Alonso spun at turn 3 last time around, he got tapped by Sergio Perez’s Cadillac.

Lap Four – Hamilton was over a second ahead of Antonelli, so his rival would not have Overtake Mode.

Further back, Norris had Verstappen right on his rear in the fight for third place.

Piastri had picked off Leclerc, but those two have swapped back in the battle for sixth and seventh place.

The fifth tour – Antonelli was back within a second of Hamilton. Norris was still under pressure from Verstappen; Leclerc was just 0.6 seconds back on Russell.

Further down, Gasly had lost two places to the Racing Bulls with Liam Lawson holding the final points place and Arvid Lindblad in ninth.

Lap six – Perez had pitted for a new nose – it was the Mexican who came together with Alonso.

Up-front, Antonelli was just 0.4 seconds back from Hamilton. Where was he going to make his move was the question? The championship leader was right on the tail of the Ferrari driver.

They were six seconds clear of the field at this stage of proceedings.

The seventh lap – Race leader Hamilton had clean air up-front, but he had a charging Mercedes of Antonelli on his tail – and he knows very well how quick that car can be. Could he defend for the rest of the Sprint was the question?

The Mercedes driver was going to have to, Antonelli was stuck to him like glue. But as of yet, the teenager has not found an opportunity to make a move.

On lap eight – Antonelli was closing, he went for a move around the outside as they flew down the Wellington Straight, but he could not get far enough ahead to sneak ahead into Brooklands.

Hamilton used all his battery. He was a sitting duck down the Hangar Straight and Antonelli blasts past the Ferrari and into the lead.

The ninth lap – Russell got Verstappen into Stowe but the Dutchman returned the favour into Club. Those two were fighting for fourth.

Up-front, Antonelli was starting to check out here – the Italian was already a second ahead. Hamilton needed to close and get Overtake Mode if he was to have any chance against a Mercedes that had clean air.

Perez received a 10-second-time-penalty for his incident with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.

Lap 10 – Russell got past Verstappen into Stowe, again. Verstappen was fighting back; Leclerc was now involved in the battle. But as it stood, Russell was in-front. But unlike his team-mate, he was not checking out.

Antonelli’s lead over Hamilton was sitting at 1.2 seconds.

Lap 11 – Leclerc picked off Verstappen to climb to fifth place, as the Dutchman plotted where to fight back against the Ferrari.

Those two fighting were giving Russell half-a-chance to pull away, which he has done but only by seven tenths.

And all of this was giving Norris some breathing space in third place.

The 12^th tour – Whilst the front drivers jostled and fight, further back Lawson was holding on to the last point in eighth. But he no longer had his team-mate as a rear gunner, Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar overtook Lindblad for ninth.

Lawson was 1.7 seconds in-front of Hadjar’s RB22 entry.

The 13^th lap – Antonelli was 1.7 seconds in-front of Hamilton and was heading towards an eight-point haul. Russell in fourth could get five points as it stood.

The Russell – Leclerc – Verstappen battle was not done yet, those three were all recharging their batteries and getting set to go again after one quieter tour.

Lap 14 – Antonelli’s lead has gone from 1.7 seconds down to 1.4 seconds, although some of that time loss was because the Mercedes driver had just lapped Perez.

Norris was all alone behind, 2.3 seconds clear of Russell. Leclerc was one second back, Verstappen was falling off those two whilst Piastri and Lawson remained in the points.

Lap 15 – The gap to Hamilton had grown again as the Ferrari also cleared Perez, it was back up to 1.8 seconds so barring late reliability problems, Antonelli looked secure.

The penultimate lap – In the battle for the final points place – Hadjar had radioed and sounded disgruntled and replays showed why. Hadjar made a late lunge down the inside into Stowe, Lawson chopped across and closed down the space.

Antonelli crossed the line to capture the British GP Sprint victory by 2.745 seconds over Hamilton as Norris completed the podium a further 9.783 seconds off the Championship leader.

Norris was asked to save fuel with the Briton responding: “Why can we never get it right?”

Russell came home fourth in his home Sprint for Mercedes and ahead of Leclerc who placed fifth and Verstappen who finished sixth.

Piastri and Lawson completed the final points place with the latter currently under investigation by the stewards for moving under-braking in the incident with Hadjar.

You can see the full Formula 1 Pirelli British Grand Prix F1 Sprint Results Classification at the link: FORMULA 1 PIRELLI BRITISH GRAND PRIX 2026 – SPRINT

2026 British GP Sprint – The Top Three

2026 British GP Sprint Winner – Andrea Kimi Antonelli, #12, Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team, F1 W17 – (8 Points):

“It was a very fun first 10 laps with Lewis, we were both pushing really hard. When I got Overtake [Mode], I knew my chance was coming. Got into Stowe and used everything I had to overtake. We can’t let out guard lower, Lewis and Ferrari are doing an incredible job, Red Bull and McLaren are coming and George is super quick. So, we need to keep raising the bar and keep improving.”

2^nd Position – Sir Lewis Hamilton, #44, Scuderia Ferrari HP, SF-26 – +2.745s – (7 Points):

“Big thank you to everyone that is here, the crowd is crazy. Tough to keep the Mercedes behind, and with it being so windy today, he came flying past. I was pushing as hard as I could, I gave it absolutely everything. [Mercedes] are particularly quick up to Turn 6, so I had to use the boost there. Once [Antonelli] got the Overtake Mode, I couldn’t hold him back. I knew he was coming.”

3^rd Position – Lando Norris, #1, McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team, Mercedes, MCL40 – +9.783s – (6 Points):

“That was a very good Sprint, I am very happy. Good pace, good first lap. Ready to do it all over again tomorrow. There were a couple of things we can certainly do better for later and for tomorrow. George was catching me quickly at the end…”

The full 2026 Formula 1 World Driver’s (Top 10) and Constructor’s Championship Standings Will Be Updated After Tomorrow’s British Grand Prix

#F1 #SprintQualifying: @LewisHamilton pips #Antonelli to #BritishGP #F1Sprint pole.