Kimi Antonelli denies Lewis Hamilton home win in Silverstone F1 sprint

Andrea Kimi Antonelli overtook Lewis Hamilton to win the Silverstone sprint race, denying the Ferrari driver a home victory in front of a raucous 150,000-strong crowd at the British Grand Prix.

Hamilton started from pole position — having beaten Antonelli by just 0.011 seconds in sprint qualifying — and led the early stages of the 17-lap contest. The seven-time world champion defended aggressively through the opening corners, but the 19-year-old Italian bided his time, strategically saving his battery charge before making his move.

The decisive moment

On lap 8, Antonelli swept past Hamilton on the Hangar Straight after the Ferrari ran out of electrical deployment. The Mercedes driver was not even halfway down the back straight when he completed the move, highlighting a dramatic battery difference between the two cars.

Race result

• 1st: Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 17 laps, +0.000s
• 2nd: Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – +2.745s
• 3rd: Lando Norris (McLaren) – +9.783s
• 4th: George Russell (Mercedes) – +10.639s

Championship impact

This victory extends Antonelli's lead in the drivers' championship over his Mercedes teammate George Russell. For Hamilton, it was a bitter pill to swallow — the British fans had hoped to see their hero win on home soil, but the young Italian proved unstoppable once he got within DRS range.

Hamilton's reaction

Speaking after the race, Hamilton acknowledged the pace deficit: We just didn't have the deployment when we needed it. Kimi drove a fantastic race. The crowd was incredible all weekend, but we'll have another shot in qualifying and the main race.