Seventeen laps around the iconic Silverstone circuit were what the 22 drivers had in store for today’s Sprint. Despite the lack of laps, this sprint race didn’t lack action. In fact, we were in store for one of the most exciting sprint races so far this season 

Off The Line

As the lights went out, Lewis Hamilton got a great launch, taking the first corner and squeezing Kimi Antonelli back. Lando Norris however had the more impressive launch, taking Max Verstappen off the line and sailing past Antonelli through Becketts corner. 

George Russell found power during the first lap, using the performance of the Mercedes to challenge both McLaren drivers. The initial laps were spent fighting for positions and what unfolded was a spectacular battle for P3 between Max Verstappen, Norris and Russell. 

At the front of the grid, Hamilton maintained a small gap to Antonelli. Though being within the overtake margin, the Italian was unable to close that gap in the initial stages. The experience of the seven-time world champion kept the Mercedes driver at bay for a while.

Problems at the back 

On lap three, Sergio Perez reported having issues with his breaks. The Cadillac driver has not had the best season so far and the issues keep coming for the team. Starting on the soft tyre compound, Perez was forced to Box, switching over to the medium tyre compound. 

Also taking the soft tyre off the line was teammate Valtteri Bottas, and both Aston Martins Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso. Starting at the back, the two teams hoped for more speed to make up places during the session. Unfortunately, the plan didn’t exactly play out.

If it couldn’t get worse for the Mexican, Perez was handed a 10-second penalty for his lap 1 incident with Alonso. The two came into contact, and ultimately Perez was found at fault for the incident. 

Overtakes Galore

Antonelli took the lead on Hamilton during lap 8. He was able to sail past the Ferrari down the Hangar straight. The plan immediately changed for the Brit: close the gap to the Mercedes. He had the pace, he had the power, and importantly, he had the experience at this circuit. 

Further back, there was no cooling down for the rest of the point runners. Charles Leclerc maintained pressure on Verstappen and Russell. His Ferrari displayed brilliant speed and energy to keep up with the two drivers. The group provided a thrilling performance for the crowd, swapping positions on numerous instances.

The final point awarded in this sprint race was being fought over by Liam Lawson, Arvid Lindblad and Isack Hadjar. The Racing Bulls Kiwi, Lawson, illustrated brilliant defensive driving, keeping the two at bay to hold on tho that final spot. 

Battling Right to The End

Antonelli put the power of the Mercedes far to work, and by the chequered flag, Hamilton was unable to reclose the gap. Crossing the line, Antonelli took his first sprint victory, with the home hero only able to claim second. 

The fight for the remaining points took it all the way to the end. Norris maintained P3 over Russell and Leclerc, who shook off Verstappen by the chequered flag. Oscar Piastri struggled to keep up with the front runners finishing P8.

The final point of the day was handed to Liam Lawson over Isack Hadjar. However, the battle almost ended in contact, as Lawson came close to colliding with the Red Bull driver. Lawson will be investigated now for moving under breaking, which if found guilt, will promote Hadjar to the final point position.