Lightening lap bags Lewis Hamilton pole position for 2013 British Grand Prix

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and team-mate Felipe Massa did not enjoy the best of days at Silverstone as the pair struggled to produce ahead of Sunday's British Grand Prix. (Image: PA Wire)

Hamilton's late burst pipped team-mate Nico Rosberg as Mercedes locked out the front row, with the Red Bulls of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber not too far behind.

Fellow Brit Paul di Resta appeared to show Force India's strength by qualifying an excellent fifth – his best qualifying performance at his home race. However his car was found to be underweight after the event, although the issues was down to a change in his bodyweight rather than the VJM06.

The issue saw Di Resta disqualified from Saturday's qualifying runs and left to start Sunday's race from either the back of the grid or the pit lane.

Hethel-backed Lotus already know they have plenty to do come Sunday with Romain Grosjean eighth and out-qualifying team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, who visibly struggled as qualifying progressed.

It certainly seemed that the new double DRS system being trialled by Enstone was not delivering the upgraded performance the team would have hoped for.

Ferrari were surprisingly off the pace as Fernando Alonso scraped 10th and Felipe Massa did not make it into Q3 – a fate that befell both McLarens, although Jenson Button only missed out by five hundredths of a second.

Both Hingham-backed Caterhams exited qualifying in Q1 as expected, which Charles Pic 19th ahead of both Marussias.

Giedo van der Garde was quicker than Brit Max Chilton, but will carry a five-place grid penalty for Sunday's grid after his misdemeanours last time out in Canada – meaning he will almost certainly start from the back of the field.

He completed only one flying lap at the every end of the 20-minute first session to preserve his tyres for the race.