British GP: Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari ‘can undoubtedly dream’ as Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri speak up rivals | F1 Information

Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari “can undoubtedly dream” after a “actually constructive” Friday on the British Grand Prix.

Ferrari loved their best Friday of a disappointing season up to now round a heat, however blustery, Silverstone.

Hamilton, the document nine-time winner of the race, set the tempo within the opening session and though Lando Norris was quickest by two tenths of a second within the second session, each Ferraris remained contained in the timesheet’s high three and inside hanging distance of McLaren.

“I undoubtedly really feel we are able to dream of getting a powerful weekend. However, executing and placing it altogether and extracting it’s one other factor,” stated Hamilton, who’s searching for a record-extending thirteenth consecutive podium at Silverstone.

“I’ll put together myself one of the best I can to ensure we get one of the best end result. Tomorrow [Saturday] there’s rain doubtlessly coming and on Sunday as properly, so I’ll attempt my hardest to ensure we’re prepared for that.”

Ferrari launched a brand new flooring to the Austrian Grand Prix final week which improved their SF-25 automotive as Leclerc completed on the rostrum and Hamilton in fourth, albeit a good distance behind McLaren.

Nonetheless, Ferrari are on par with McLaren if Friday’s operating at Silverstone is something to go by as Leclerc and Hamilton each accomplished their finest instances on second push laps, but had been nonetheless just a few tenths off Norris.

“It was a extremely good day. Nice to see the gang. Wonderful to be out on the monitor in a Ferrari at Silverstone. It is fairly unimaginable,” stated Hamilton.

“McLaren and Crimson Bull had an improve so for us to be within the combine nonetheless, given that they had a step, is admittedly constructive. I am progressing loads now with the automotive. I am rather more within the window the place it must be.

“By P2 we nonetheless weren’t the place we must be, so in P2 we struggled extra however we all know the adjustments we have to make for the subsequent session.”

Leclerc, who has been the stronger of the Ferrari drivers this 12 months, stated on the radio that his race set-up was “fairly good” however later confirmed they should discover “one other step” for qualifying.

“The day was good. We’ve got been fairly robust. We nonetheless want to search out some tempo in qualifying. McLaren is the automotive to beat however with race tempo I used to be comfortable,” he stated.

“I am discovering my approach. I’ve modified the automotive loads not too long ago to search out some tempo in qualifying. I’ve not discovered a approach for that however we’re very robust within the race.”

McLaren: Ferrari are within the battle

Championship leaders McLaren, who’ve received eight of the season’s first 11 races and completely dominated final week in Austria for his or her fourth one-two of the 12 months, noticed sufficient on Friday to call the Scuderia as a giant menace to them.

Norris stated “the Ferraris have been very, very fast at this time and so they shall be tomorrow”, whereas Oscar Piastri stated: “It was a little bit of a shock. They seemed good, each within the qualifying and lengthy runs.

“They’re within the battle this weekend, which is fascinating to see.”

And George Russell, whose Mercedes crew once more struggled within the warmth on Friday and completed outdoors the highest 5, added: “Ferrari have turned it up the final couple of races. They’ve been robust on race tempo all season however had dangerous qualifyings.”

For all that, McLaren are nonetheless prone to stay favourites for Saturday’s pole place, notably with Norris having seemingly carried his advantageous type from Austria over to his dwelling occasion.

The Briton topped the Ferraris by two tenths of a second though, as typical, performed down the importance of McLaren’s obvious Friday benefit.

“I feel now we have a bit of labor to do, to be trustworthy,” he insisted.

“It appears possibly a bit too good at this time, like at all times. Ferrari at all times catch up into P3 like they did final weekend so I would say happy with at this time however nothing to be too proud about simply but.”

Norris is, nevertheless, concentrating on a primary Silverstone pole place in entrance of his very personal grandstand for the primary time – the ‘Landostand’, situated on the skin of Stowe nook which is offered out with 10,000 followers.

“That is my goal. I am engaged on it,” stated Norris when requested about pole place.

“[The grandstand] is unimaginable. I take a look at it each single lap. It is onerous to overlook so each lap I am pressured to take a look at it nevertheless it’s additionally a terrific factor to see. And if it is distracting me it is distracting others, so it is working completely! Stick with it.”

Piastri completed virtually half a second behind Norris on the timesheet and admitted his quickest lap on the mushy tyre “had been a bit messy”.

Nonetheless, the 15-point championship chief remained content material with the place he stood.

“The potential is unquestionably there and the lengthy runs seemed stable as properly,” added Piastri. “An fascinating day and I feel a variety of competitors.”

Verstappen: Crimson Bull missing efficiency

Max Verstappen suffered understeer all through Friday and was half a second off the tempo in second observe. Nonetheless, Crimson Bull historically make a giant leap ahead in a single day into Saturday and Christian Horner says the crew ought to be capable to “tidy up” the stability of the automotive and its new flooring.

“We’re making a gift of 90 cent of our lap time in Turns 6 and seven, so the sluggish speeds turning again into the wind, however the remainder of the lap is trying fairly first rate,” stated Horner.

“The long term is trying fairly first rate so I feel we have got one thing to work with, we have simply received to tune it the precise approach.”

Verstappen was much less optimistic and stated he had “no stability within the automotive” which made it “very tough from nook to nook”.

“Each week is completely different situations. Now with the wind round right here it appears our automotive is sort of delicate to it. However, generally, it is not been a straightforward day,” he stated.

“Perhaps just a few that we’ll take a look at however I feel general we’re simply missing a little bit of efficiency.”

The monitor temperature at Silverstone was close to 40C which damage Mercedes as Kimi Antonelli and George Russell had been over 5 tenths off the tempo in each periods.

Russell says he’s hoping for rain on Saturday, with a 40 per cent likelihood of rain affecting qualifying.

“We hope it cools down for the remainder of the weekend. It is irritating that each single week we’re on the mercy of the climate,” he stated.

“We have to enhance that, particularly now we’re in the summertime months. We’re doing all the things we are able to to enhance it.

“Our fortunes will flip for the remainder of the weekend and it’ll come in direction of us, however we will not be on the mercy of the climate and we’re proper now. If it is moist in qualifying, I will probably be excited for that!”

Sky Sports activities F1’s British GP schedule

Saturday July 5
9.10am: F3 Dash
11.15pm: British GP Observe Three (session begins at 11.30am)
1.10pm: F2 Dash
2.15pm: British GP Qualifying build-up*
3pm: BRITISH GP QUALIFYING*
4.55pm: F4 Race 1
5.40pm: Ted’s Qualifying Pocket book

Sunday July 6
8.15am: F4 Race 2
9.25am: F3 Characteristic Race
11am: F2 Characteristic Race
1.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: British GP build-up*
3pm: THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX*
5pm: Chequered Flag: British GP response*
6pm: Ted’s Pocket book*

*additionally on Sky Sports activities Major Occasion

Subsequent up within the 2025 Components 1 season is the large one, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone – stay on Sky Sports activities F1 and Sky Showcase with Sunday’s race at 3pm. Stream Sky Sports activities with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime.