2022 F1 British GP Qualifying: Carlos Sainz scores a shock maiden pole in the wet as others stumble on the last lap

The F1 British GP weekend is a gift that keeps on giving. This time around, it was Carlos Sainz who capitalized on the wet weather conditions as both Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen stumbled on the last lap. Contrary to the weather forecast of rain making an appearance after qualifying, the shower came early and threw a spanner in the works.

With the rain intensifying and then dropping off at various intervals, it was always going to be a battle of who would set his time last. In the end, it didn't matter as on the final lap, when Carlos Sainz nailed it, both Verstappen and Leclerc messed up and ended up yielding pole position to the Spaniard.

So, in case you missed it, here's what happened.

---

F1 British GP Qualifying review

#1 Carlos Sainz snatches his maiden pole position ahead of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc

Carlos Sainz was not having the best of weekends. He was struggling early in the weekend to not only keep up with Leclerc but also the Mercedes drivers as well. Even by the time we reached Q3, the focus was on Verstappen, Leclerc, and Hamilton as these three drivers had looked the most comfortable at Silverstone.

But the Spaniard was on the same run plan as Leclerc and Verstappen and away from all attention, he was meticulously improving his lap with every run, although both Leclerc and Verstappen were obliterating them as they crossed the line.

On the last lap, however, when everything was on the line, both Verstappen and Leclerc, the two frontrunners for the pole, made mistakes while Sainz improved his time and snatched his maiden pole position. The 27-year-old driver showed his critics why Ferrari had chosen to extend his contract with that masterful drive.

#2 Mercedes keeps the frontrunners honest with Lewis Hamilton qualifying in P5

Mercedes would have expected more from the qualifying session after the kind of form it showed over the weekend. Even in Q1 and Q2, both the drivers appeared to have a strong underlying pace that was on par with the front-running group containing Verstappen and Leclerc.

But, as the battle for pole intensified in Q3, Leclerc and Verstappen started stretching their legs and the German team could not keep up. In the end, though, Mercedes was still able to keep the frontrunners honest with Lewis Hamilton qualifying in P5 for the British GP.

#3 Lando Norris secures an impressive P6 while Daniel Ricciardo disappoints

Lando Norris once again showed why he is one of the brighter prospects for the future in the wet conditions at Silverstone. The driver secured a P6 start for the British GP, capping off an impressive session for McLaren. Another feather in the British team's cap was Norris outqualifying George Russell in a Mercedes and making a statement that the next British superstar might not be driving a Silver Arrows car this season.

However, Daniel Ricciardo's off-color weekend continued as he found himself eliminated in Q2. The Australian hasn't had the speed of his teammate at any point during the British GP weekend so far, and this might be something that McLaren will have to think long and hard about.

#4 Esteban Ocon suffers a shock Q2 elimination while Nicholas Latifi surprises everyone

If we would have told you before qualifying that Nicholas Latifi would start the British GP in P10, that too on merit, you would have laughed that off. But that's what the Canadian was able to do in qualifying. The Williams came alive in the wet weather and while the strategy of a cooling-off lap and then a push lap ruined Albon's qualifying, Latifi was able to narrowly escape Q1 and then use the learnings to put together an impressive lap in Q2, which was good enough for Q3.

However, disaster struck for Esteban Ocon as the Alpine driver was caught out by rain after his first lap, which left him completely helpless when it came to improving his lap time. The French driver will start the race in P15 as he was outqualified by his teammate once again this season.

#5 A qualifying disaster for Aston Martin and Haas

In a surprising turn of events, it will be Aston Martin and Haas starting the race on the last two rows. It's hard to understand what happened to Haas as both drivers were able to put together great laps early in the session, but as soon as the track got drier and drier, their competitiveness fell by the wayside.

For Aston Martin, it was deja vu of sorts as; after Q1, it appeared as though the team had messed up the tire pressure once again. This will be the second weekend in a row, when Sebastian Vettel will be starting the race near the back of the grid. Fortunately for him, he can still drive the 1992 Williams before the British GP.

Catch the drivers in the race at Silverstone on July 3, 2022.