Antonelli overtakes Hamilton to win dramatic Silverstone sprint
Kimi Antonelli caught and passed Lewis Hamilton to win the sprint race at the British Grand Prix, extending his championship lead.
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli demonstrated strategic patience to overtake Lewis Hamilton and secure victory in an eventful sprint race at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. The 19-year-old Italian waited for the right moment before closing in on Hamilton's Ferrari, eventually making a decisive pass on the Hangar Straight on lap eight after carefully managing his battery charge.
Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, fought hard to maintain his lead but ultimately could not resist Antonelli's pace. The seven-time world champion admitted he was surprised by how close Ferrari was to Mercedes on this circuit, noting that the straight-line speed deficit was around 0.6-0.7 seconds.
Behind the leading duo, a thrilling battle unfolded between Lando Norris, George Russell, and Max Verstappen. Norris, starting sixth, stormed to third on the first lap and briefly held second before Antonelli reclaimed it. Russell, who started fifth, executed impressive overtakes early on but lost positions later, finishing fourth. Verstappen, the reigning world champion, engaged in a multi-lap fight with Russell and Norris before dropping to sixth, holding off Oscar Piastri.
Other notable performances included Charles Leclerc passing Verstappen, and Liam Lawson securing the final points position after defending against Isack Hadjar.
Antonelli's win extends his championship lead to 43 points over Russell. The main Grand Prix qualifying is scheduled for Saturday at 16:00 BST.
