F1 British GP live: FP3 updates and qualifying start time with Lando Norris fastest at Silverstone

Independent

15 hours ago

F1 is back at Silverstone with the exciting British Grand Prix for round 12 of the 2025 season.
Lewis Hamilton's heroics last year still live vividly in most fans' memories, and he's back in the Ferrari ready to salvage an otherwise disappointing season, with Lando Norris grabbing that crucial win last time out in Austria.
Norris will be eager to pip McLaren teammate and championship rival Oscar Piastri and his speed in practice makes him the man to beat around this Silverstone track, with the Australian driver's lead now just 15 points after the first 11 races.
Charles Leclerc picked up the final podium place for Ferrari last time out, while the weekend will focus closely on both Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who has been linked with a move to Mercedes, and arch rival George Russell, who remains calm heading into 2026 without his seat secure.
Christian Horner concedes defeat in Max Verstappen F1 title bid
'The buffer McLaren has is significant. It looks very much like a two-horse race,' said Horner.
'You could see how McLaren are racing each other. They've got a cushion to the rest. For us we just focus on one race at a time. We don't even think about championships.
'What's truly impressive is when you look at how close Oscar is able to run behind Lando with a car fat on fuel, at the beginning of the race, and he's basically making love to his f****** exhaust pipe lap after lap after lap and the tyres are not dying.
'That is their advantage. I can't see any other car that would be able to follow that closely and not grain the front tyres or the rear tyres.'
Jack Rathborn5 July 2025 08:00
George Russell adamant he will not be leaving Mercedes: 'Toto has never let me down'
George Russell believes he won't be leaving Mercedes at the end of the season despite speculation linking Red Bull's Max Verstappen with the team.
Russell, who is in the middle of his fourth season with Mercedes, does not currently have a contract beyond 2025 despite a strong first half of the season.
Four-time F1 world champion Verstappen has long been courted by Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and reports in Italian media this week state that the Dutchman is open to the prospect of joining the Silver Arrows next year. Russell revealed last week that Mercedes are in discussions with Verstappen.
But Russell, who is in the midst of his first campaign without Lewis Hamilton as his teammate, insists he is unconcerned.
'There's a lot of conversations behind the scenes that are not public and I know where their loyalty lies,' Russell said, ahead of this weekend's British Grand Prix.
George Russell adamant he will not be leaving Mercedes: 'Toto has never let me down'
Russell has not signed a contract beyond this season, while Mercedes are in discussions with Max Verstappen
Jack Rathborn4 July 2025 20:09
F1 standings ahead of British Grand Prix
1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 216 points
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 201 points
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 155 points
4. George Russell (Mercedes) – 146 points
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 119 points
6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 91 points
7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 63 points
8. Alex Albon (Williams) – 42 points
9. Esteban Ocon (Haas) – 23 points
10. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) - 22 points
11. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 21 points
12. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – 14 points
13. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 14 points
14. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – 13 points
15. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – 12 points
16. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 11 points
17. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) – 10 points
18. Ollie Bearman (Haas) – 6 points
19. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – 4 points
20. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – 0 points
21. Jack Doohan (Alpine) – 0 points
Jack Rathborn4 July 2025 20:09
Lando Norris sets the pace in FP2
It's a promising weekend for Lando Norris, who aims to build on his big win in Austria and win his home grand prix for the first time.
And the McLaren driver follows in his countryman Lewis Hamilton's suit to top the timesheet after FP2 - making it an all-English affair so far at Silverstone!
The Ferraris are on his tail and have made a statement after an underwhelming season so far, with both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc finishing in the top three.
Jack Rathborn4 July 2025 20:08
Lewis Hamilton returns to Silverstone in last chance saloon for first Ferrari year
If you'd told Lewis Hamilton four months ago, amid the hoopla of Formula One's biggest-ever driver move, that he would be 'hoping and praying' for a strong result at his beloved Silverstone, he'd likely have laughed you out of the room. Either that or he'd have rolled his eyes. Take your pick.
After all, this was the seven-time F1 world champion moving to the fabled Ferrari. A driver in need of rejuvenation after three years of frustration at Mercedes was joining a team seemingly on the up, having come within a whisker of last year's constructors' title. Everything seemed perfectly aligned. With the whole world watching, what could possibly go wrong?
Well, come race 12 and the halfway stage of the 2025 season, the answer is unavoidable: pretty much everything.
Lewis Hamilton returns to Silverstone in last chance saloon for first Ferrari year
Hamilton has been on the podium 11 times in a row at Silverstone, but is yet to secure a top-3 finish this year
Jack Rathborn4 July 2025 20:07
British Grand Prix 2025 schedule
all times BST
5 July
FP3 - 11:30am
Qualifying - 3pm
6 July
Grand Prix - 3pm
Jack Rathborn4 July 2025 19:00