The provisional starting grid for the 2026 Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone has been finalized following a post-qualifying penalty issued to Alpine driver Pierre Gasly.
Mercedes rookie and championship leader Kimi Antonelli will lead the field away from pole position after delivering another outstanding qualifying performance. The young Italian continued his remarkable campaign by setting the fastest lap of the session, securing the best possible starting position for Sunday’s race.
Joining Antonelli on the front row is Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who narrowly outqualified his team-mate Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton, racing in front of his home supporters at Silverstone, will begin the race from third place after another competitive qualifying effort.
Mercedes also enjoyed a strong afternoon with George Russell qualifying fourth, placing two Silver Arrows inside the top four on the grid. Ferrari likewise has both drivers near the front, setting up an exciting contest between the two teams when the lights go out.
Red Bull and McLaren, however, were unable to match the pace of Mercedes and Ferrari during qualifying. Neither team featured in the battle for pole position, leaving both with work to do during Sunday’s Grand Prix.
The biggest post-session development involved Pierre Gasly. The Alpine driver received a three-place grid penalty after race stewards ruled that he had impeded Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll during qualifying. As a result, Gasly dropped from 12th on the grid to 15th, allowing several drivers behind him to gain positions.
Although the starting order has been adjusted, it remains provisional until it receives official confirmation from the FIA before the race.
Adjusted Starting Grid – 2026 British Grand Prix
Position| Driver| Team
1| Kimi Antonelli| Mercedes
2| Charles Leclerc| Ferrari
3| Lewis Hamilton| Ferrari
4| George Russell| Mercedes
5| Isack Hadjar| Red Bull
6| Lando Norris| McLaren
7| Max Verstappen| Red Bull
8| Oscar Piastri| McLaren
9| Arvid Lindblad| Racing Bulls
10| Liam Lawson| Racing Bulls
11| Gabriel Bortoleto| Audi
12| Nico Hulkenberg| Audi
13| Oliver Bearman| Haas
14| Carlos Sainz| Williams
15| Pierre Gasly| Alpine
16| Alex Albon| Williams
17| Esteban Ocon| Haas
18| Valtteri Bottas| Cadillac
19| Franco Colapinto| Alpine
20| Sergio Perez| Cadillac
21| Lance Stroll| Aston Martin
22| Fernando Alonso| Aston Martin
The front of the grid promises an intense battle as Antonelli looks to convert pole position into another victory in his impressive rookie campaign. Ferrari will be aiming to challenge immediately with both Leclerc and Hamilton starting inside the top three, while Russell will hope to give Mercedes another strong result.
Further back, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen starts seventh after a difficult qualifying session, while McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will attempt to fight their way toward the podium from sixth and eighth respectively.
The midfield battle also looks highly competitive, with Isack Hadjar, Arvid Lindblad, Liam Lawson, Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg all beginning in promising positions. Meanwhile, Gasly faces a tougher challenge after his penalty dropped him three places down the order.
With the grid now adjusted, attention turns to Sunday’s race at Silverstone, where strategy, tyre management and changing weather conditions could all play decisive roles in determining the outcome of one of the highlights of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
