British Grand Prix Qualifying – Hamilton on POLE for Mercedes 1-2 start

Lewis Hamilton takes pole position for the 2020 British Grand Prix, with team mate Bottas starting second and Red Bull’s Verstappen third.

Despite Silverstone being devoid of spectators, Lewis Hamilton turned what, for him, seemed an uninspired qualifying and turned it in to an impressive pole position, beating team-mate Bottas in to second by 0.313 seconds, and a full second ahead of third place starter Max Verstappen in the Red Bull.

Hamilton headed in to Q3 without bothering the top spot in practice, Q1 and Q2, and even managed a spin-off to add to the feeling that the lack of spectators to lift his game was playing a part. But the end of Q3 saw Hamilton not only take pole but the fastest lap time ever round Silverstone.

Behind the top three of Hamilton, Bottas and Verstappen, Leclerc managed to salvage some credibility for Ferrari with fourth on the grid, and Norris continued McLaren’s form as challengers to the best of the rest with fifth.

Behin Norris, Lance Stroll managed sicth place for Racing Point, Sainz took the second McLaren to seventh, Ricciardo and Ocon eighth and ninth for Renault and Sebastian Vettel rounded out the top 10 in the Ferrari.

It’s hard to see the 2020 British Grand Prix delivering anything other than a Mercedes one-two.