British Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton takes pole by slimmest of margins to beat Sebastian Vettel

Reigning world champion takes his 50th pole with Mercedes after Vettel laid down the gauntlet to put the two championship rivals on the front row

Lewis Hamilton put his Mercedes on pole position for the British Grand Prix with a scintillating final lap in qualifying.

Hamilton turned on the style to claim his fourth consecutive pole at Silverstone and edge out his championship rival Sebastian Vettel by just 0.044 seconds.

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen qualified third with Hamilton's Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas fourth. The Red Bull duo of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo will line up fifth and sixth.

Hamilton, bidding to move ahead of Jim Clark and Alain Prost with his sixth victory in Britain, and his fifth in succession in front of the partisan Silverstone crowd, trailed Vettel prior to the final runs.

But the 33-year-old Englishman delivered a breathless time with his final throw of the dice to see off the competition from both Ferrari cars and start Sunday's race as the favourite to claim an historic win.

Lewis Hamilton will start the British Grand Prix from pole (AP)

"I gave it everything I could," said a breathless Hamilton moments after getting out of his car and sealing his 50th pole for Mercedes.

Standing in front of the main stand, he added: "It was so close between the Ferraris. I was just praying I could do it for you guys. I am so grateful for the support and without you I wouldn't have been able to do it."

Vettel, who revealed he almost pulled out with a neck injury, added: "To be honest this morning I was not sure I could do qualifying. I am happy but I lost some time on the straight."

Lewis Hamilton will start ahead of the Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen (AP)

Sir Frank Williams is in attendance at a race for the first time this season, but his presence here did little to change the failing British team's miserable fortunes.

Canadian Lance Stroll lost control of his car on his very first flying lap, spinning at Brooklands, and ending up beached in the gravel. His session was over instantly.

Only moments later, Sergey Sirotkin in the sister Williams, was in the sand trap, too. Claire Williams, the deputy team principal, looked on aghast with both hands over her mouth.

Sebastian Vettel managed to take second and came within a whisker of taking pole (Getty)

Sirotkin managed to limp out of the gravel, and back to the pits, but could manage only the slowest time with both Williams cars at the back of the field on Sunday.

Starting last will be Brendon Hartley after his horror 200mph crash in final practice.

Hartley's Toro Rosso suspension collapsed under braking which sent the New Zealander spiralling out of control and into the tyre barrier.

Hartley, 28, emerged unscathed but his car was destroyed, and he was unable to play any part in qualifying.

Sebastian Vettel was struggling with a crooked neck during qualifying (PA)

Stoffel Vandoorne is under growing pressure at McLaren, and here qualified only 17th of the 20 runners, the best part of one second down on his team-mate Fernando Alonso, who finished 13th.

Alonso has out-qualified Vandoorne at all of the 10 rounds this season. Charles Leclerc, perhaps destined for Ferrari next year, continued his fine form by hauling his Sauber into Q3 and finishing ninth.

British Grand Prix grid

1 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1min 25.892secs

2 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Ferrari 1:25.936

3 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 1:25.990

4 Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Mercedes GP 1:26.217

5 Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 1:26.602

6 Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Red Bull 1:27.099

7 Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas F1 1:27.244

8 Romain Grosjean (Fra) Haas F1 1:27.455

9 Charles Leclerc (Mon) Sauber-Ferrari 1:27.879

10 Esteban Ocon (Fra) Force India 1:28.194

11 Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Renault 1:27.901

12 Sergio Perez (Mex) Force India 1:27.928

13 Fernando Alonso (Spa) McLaren 1:28.139

14 Pierre Gasly (Fra) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:28.343

15 Marcus Ericsson (Swe) Sauber-Ferrari 1:28.391

16 Carlos Sainz (Spa) Renault 1:28.456

17 Stoffel Vandoorne (Bel) McLaren 1:29.096

18 Sergey Sirotkin (Rus) Williams 1:29.252

19 Lance Stroll (Can) Williams No Time

20 Brendon Hartley (Nzl) Scuderia Toro Rosso No Time