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Sunday, July 10, 2016

Record Pole Run for Hamilton Marks Eventful British Homecoming

Photo Credit: Mercedes AMG

The British Grand Prix is among one of the original mainstays on the Formula 1 calendar since its inception in 1950. The previous Second World War airfield in Silverstone was first competed upon for a grand prix race in 1948 for which the circuit has undergone a series of redesigns. The current track for Formula 1 competition is a 5.891-kilometer, 18-turn configuration.

A classic event for the motor racing tour, the British Grand Prix's place as the 10th round in the 2016 Formula 1 series allowed it to immediate follow a surrealistic Austrian Grand Prix. Winning the race in a wild and controversial battle with teammate Nico Rosberg, Brit Lewis Hamilton arrives with the support of a friendly home crowd at Silverstone. In qualifying, Hamilton was intent to claim his fourth pole for the British Grand Prix.

Backed by a speedy Mercedes AMG race car, Lewis Hamilton almost foiled his own pole in the session. Sitting a top time early in the Q3 session, Hamilton's initial effort was celebrated by his home country crowd before the audience and driver were confronted with a sense of loss. Stewards judged Lewis Hamilton had fallen out of the racing boundaries on the Silverstone track section out of turn 9. Prior to qualifying, drivers were informed track limits would be enforced under a situation of zero-tolerance in certain areas of the Silverstone Circuit. Hamilton's pole time was disallowed leaving the reigning world champion in a late scramble to propel his Mercedes AMG back to the optimum position for the start of Sunday's British Grand Prix. Within the late stage of qualifying, Hamilton triumphantly reclaimed the pole position with a lap record of 1-minute, 29.287 seconds. Lewis Hamilton is looking for his third consecutive British Grand Prix victory on Sunday.

Starting on the front row of the British Grand Prix is 2013 race winner Nico Rosberg in the second Mercedes AMG 0.319 seconds slower than the pole sitting time. Contending for the all-important World Drivers' Championship, this season has put both drivers in the deepest direct conflict in their fourth year as teammates. Less than a week after the Austrian Grand Prix's last lap scuffle and an acrimonious exchange of words in post-race, Hamilton and Rosberg appears to be playing nice so far this weekend at Silverstone.  

A Red Bull Tag Heuer race car will be positioned right behind each front row starting Mercedes AMG. Occupying the second row, Max Verstappen emerged from qualifying faster than teammate Daniel Ricciardo. In the short history of Red Bull Racing current driver lineup, the British Grand Prix will be the first time Verstappen will start ahead of Ricciardo in a grand prix event.

Behind the Red Bull Racing owned second row, Scuderia Ferrari accounted collectively as the third-fastest time in qualifying. Possessing two former winners of the British Grand Prix. Kimi Raikkonen will start fifth in the first race since the announcement the Finnish driver will be returning to Ferrari next season. Raikkonen claimed an advantage of 6/10ths of a second over his teammate Sebastian Vettel. Vettel qualified 6th for the British Grand Prix but will have to start in 11th place following a gearbox change made to his Ferrari.

Ferrari S.p.A.

Promoted to sixth place on the starting grid, Williams Martini Racing driver Valtteri Bottas posted a runner-up finish in the 2014 event at Silverstone. Carlos Sainz Jr. is positioned in seventh spot alongside Force India driver Nico Hulkenberg. With the British Grand Prix track known for fast cornering, more encouraging signs are revealed by the Honda engine for 2016. Fernando Alonso splits Force India teammates Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez with his McLaren Honda race car in ninth place.

A race for 52 laps on the Silverstone Circuit, the British Grand Prix is set for 1 PM local time (8 AM eastern time).


2016 Formula 1
British Grand Prix
Starting Lineup


Pos # Car # Driver Team Engine

1 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes AMG Mercedes-Benz
2 6 Nico Rosberg Mercedes AMG Mercedes-Benz
3 33 Max Verstappen Red Bull TAG Heuer
4 3 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull TAG Heuer
5 7 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari Ferrari
6 77 Valtteri Bottas Williams F1 Mercedes-Benz
7 55 Carlos Sainz Jr Scuderia Toro Rosso Ferrari
8 27 Nico Hulkenberg Force India Mercedes-Benz
9 14 Fernando Alonso McLaren Honda
10 11 Sergio Perez Force India Mercedes-Benz
11 5 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari Ferrari
12 19 Felipe Massa Williams F1 Mercedes-Benz
13 8 Romain Grosjean Haas F1 Team Ferrari
14 9 Esteban Gutierrez Haas F1 Team Ferrari
15 26 Daniil Kvyat Scuderia Toro Rosso Ferrari
16 20 Kevin Magnussen Renault Renault
17 22 Jenson Button McLaren Honda
18 30 Jolyon Palmer Renault Renault
19 98 Rio Haryanto Manor Mercedes-Benz
20 28 Pascal Wehrlein Manor Mercedes-Benz
21 12 Felipe Nasr Sauber Ferrari
22 9 Marcus Ericsson Sauber Ferrari

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