British GP Qualifying Facts & Stats: Russell gives Williams first back-to-back Q3 appearances since 2017

Lewis Hamilton almost certainly has the most fans at Silverstone this weekend, but there were plenty of roars for another British driver on Friday, as George Russell gave Williams something to cheer about ahead of their home race with P8. Here’s a round-up of the big numbers generated by those two, and the rest of the field in qualifying...

• Hamilton was quickest in Q3 at Silverstone for the 6th time in the last 8 races at the British circuit.

REPORT: Hamilton digs deep to beat Verstappen in qualifying and seal top grid slot for F1 Sprint

• However, he is, of course, not guaranteed pole position – barring any penalties, that will go to the winner of Saturday’s first-ever F1 Sprint.

• Hamilton had not previously been quickest in Q3 since Spain, 6 races ago.

READ MORE: Hamilton credits extra sim work and ‘energy of the fans’ after beating Verstappen in British GP qualifying

• This is the 10th successive Silverstone race at which Mercedes have been quickest in Q3.

• Hamilton and title rival Max Verstappen will be 1-2 on the inaugural F1 Sprint grid tomorrow, as they have been 1-2 on the grid 4 times in Grands Prix in 2021.

READ MORE: Verstappen says his Red Bull ‘felt weird’ as he misses out on P1 for Sprint – but vows to bounce back

• In the sister Mercedes Valtteri Bottas was 3rd in Q3, having been 3rd on the grid in 4 Grands Prix this year (he’s only been higher than that once).

• Charles Leclerc’s P4 for Ferrari was his best Q3 performance since taking back-to-back poles in Monaco and Azerbaijan.

READ MORE: ‘We are all going into an unknown’ says Leclerc after securing P4 for Saturday’s F1 Sprint

• Sergio Perez took P5 for Red Bull – he had only previously reached Q3 at Silverstone once since 2014.

• McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo made it into Q3 for the first time in 3 races.

• Williams’ George Russell will be P8 on tomorrow’s F1 Sprint grid – the same position from which he started the Austrian GP.

READ MORE: Russell vows to ‘go for it’ in F1 Sprint after ‘incredible’ home crowd roars him to P8 in qualifying

• Russell put Williams into Q3 at consecutive races for the first time since 2017.

• Alpine’s Fernando Alonso suffered back-to-back Q2 eliminations for the second time in 2021.

• Team mate Esteban Ocon has not reached Q3 at the last 6 races.

• AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly failed to reach Q3 for only the 2nd time in the last 13 races (the other was Barcelona back in May).

• Team mate Yuki Tsunoda went out in Q1 for the 5th time this season.

• Kimi Raikkonen was eliminated in Q1 for the 4th consecutive race for Alfa Romeo – he was also out in Q1 at both Silverstone races in 2020.

• Mick Schumacher was 0.313s quicker than Haas team mate Nikita Mazepin.