Antonelli follows up sprint win with British GP pole

SILVERSTONE, England, July 4 : Formula One leader Kimi Antonelli was too fast for Ferrari, and dealt another stinging blow to Mercedes teammate George Russell, as the Italian seized pole position for the British Grand Prix on Saturday after winning an earlier sprint race.

His closest title rival Russell qualified only fourth at a windy Silverstone, behind Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Leclerc was 0.175 of a second slower than the 19-year-old, whose fifth pole of the season extended Mercedes's record of securing the top slot at all nine grands prix so far in the campaign, but ahead of Hamilton for the first time since Miami in May.

"It was a very tidy lap, a lap where I put everything together," said Antonelli, of his best time of one minute 28.111 seconds set after going out first for the final run on the fast, sweeping circuit. 

"It was very tricky with the wind because it was very gusty and unpredictable."  

LECLERC BACK AHEAD OF HAMILTON

Antonelli won the 17-lap sprint ahead of Hamilton, a record nine-times winner at Silverstone in a career that started in 2007, to go 43 points clear of Briton Russell in the standings.

Winner of five races in a row until Hamilton ended the streak in Spain last month, Antonelli has taken the sport by storm in his second season and appeared to have the measure of the experienced Russell in front of what is sure to be the biggest crowd of the year.

"It's not going to be easy because I have two Ferraris behind me and, for sure, they will work together," Antonelli said of the challenge he will face on Sunday.

"Their pace is good but ours was strong in the Sprint. Hopefully we can keep that for tomorrow and do a good race."

Leclerc said it was good to get