British Grand Prix Practice Recap
During the practice sessions on Friday at the British Grand Prix, that signature orange hue caught attention on the timing sheets. Lando Norris secured second place in FP1 and then shone in FP2, where teammate Oscar Piastri bounced back, finishing third in the first session and fourth later on.
However, lurking just behind were Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
Hamilton, who had a standout emotional victory at Silverstone last year, returned to the track with notable performances, finishing first in FP1 and third in FP2. Leclerc, on the other hand, claimed fourth in the first session but was outpaced by Norris in FP2.
Both Norris and Piastri took note of Ferrari’s speed after the session.
“Generally, Ferrari is looking pretty quick today and probably tomorrow too,” Norris shared with the official F1 channel after his second session. “Honestly, I think we have a bit more to figure out.”
“Today felt almost ‘too good’. Ferrari tends to ramp up in FP3, just like last weekend. I’m satisfied for now, but there’s not much to celebrate,” he added.
Piastri echoed similar sentiments, noting, “[Ferrari] showed solid performance in qualifying and over longer runs.”
Ferrari introduced an updated floor on the SF-25 at the Austrian Grand Prix last week, and the payoff was immediate, with Leclerc finishing third and Hamilton fourth, allowing them to inch ahead of Mercedes in the Constructors Championship.
Post-session, Leclerc remarked on Ferrari’s robust race pace as the weekend approached.
“Everything clicked nicely today. The cockpit felt connected, but there’s still more work to do,” Leclerc mentioned in a team media report.
“In terms of qualifying speed, we seem a bit off, but we’re on par for race pace. We’re really enjoying driving here, so we can’t wait for tomorrow.”
On Hamilton’s side of the garage, he was energized about his Silverstone performance, especially stepping into Ferrari’s red for the first time.
“Today was really exciting. It’s unbelievable to be racing with Ferrari at Silverstone,” he said. “Despite encountering some traffic during my fastest lap in FP2, I felt good about the car in both sessions. There’s definitely more speed to uncover. It’s always thrilling to return here.”
“This is the biggest circuit globally and my absolute favorite. Seeing such a crowd on a Friday is fantastic. The atmosphere is just buzzing.”
This season, Ferrari has shown promise but often faded as Fridays transitioned into weekends. It remains to be seen if they can capitalize on the momentum from today and deliver impressive performances at the British Grand Prix.
