Hamilton takes British GP pole

In the decisive final session of qualifying, both Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg set their fastest times on their first attempts, failing to improve their times in their last-gasp bids to secure pole position. Hamilton's first flying lap was just over a tenth quicker than his German rival, as the Brit seeks to make amends for second place last time out in Austria.

"It's a special day. It's special when you get pole on your home turf and the fans have motivated me," Hamilton said after qualifying, also alluding to his happiness to have his younger brother, Nicolas, in tow.

"Something was wrong in the second lap, with the left front," Rosberg said after the session, having also noted this issue over team radio after failing to beat the defending champion's time.

As predicted by Hamilton before the race, Williams emerged in qualifying as a closer challenger to Mercedes than Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari. Felipe Massa took third on the grid, ahead of teammate Valtteri Bottas - mooted as a potential Ferrari acquisition in place of struggling Kimi Räikkönen.

'Clearly the second power'

Mercedes' executive director, Toto Wolff, told German broadcaster RTL after qualifying that the results behind his Silver Arrows came as a slight surprise. He described the Mercedes-powered Williams as "clearly the second power" on the Silverstone circuit, also noting how Red Bull "have made a big step forward."

The Ferrari duo locked out the third row of the grid - with Kimi Räikkönen even managing to pip Vettel to fifth position with his last lap of the session. Daniil Kvyat will start seventh for Red Bull, with the other Red Bull of Daniel Ricciardo in tenth.

Force India's Nico Hülkenberg and Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz claimed the remaining two spots in the top 10, and will line up eighth and ninth for Sunday's race.

Hamilton and Rosberg are yet to truly lock horns as teammates around the British circuit. In 2013, car problems thwarted Hamilton and handed Rosberg victory, while in 2014, the reverse applied, with Hamilton profiting from Rosberg's mechanical misfortunes.

"I'm hoping we have a race where we can actually just fight - one year it's been difficult for Nico with a car issue and one year for me," Hamilton said earlier in the week at the Northamptonshire circuit in the English midlands. In Austria, Rosberg also started the race from second - but led by the first corner.