FP1 Highlights – Friday Morning

Top 5

1. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 1:26.892 

2. Lando Norris (McLaren) – +0.023

3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – +0.150

4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +0.203

5. George Russell (Mercedes) – +0.271

Analysis:

• Hamilton opened his Silverstone weekend with a strong lap, beating his McLaren rivals by a narrow margin.

• Both Ferraris and McLarens appeared evenly matched on the soft rubber—verging on full qualifying pace—while Mercedes showed solid baseline performance.

• Notably, Verstappen was well off the pace in FP1, initially struggling and ending the session around P10 

FP2 Highlights – Friday Afternoon

Final Top 10

1. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1:25.816

2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +0.222

3. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – +0.301

4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – +0.470

5. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +0.498

6. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – +0.567

7. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – +0.614

8. George Russell (Mercedes) – +0.707

9. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – +0.708

10. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – +0.808 

Analysis:

• Norris topped FP2 with a blistering 1:25.816, underlining McLaren’s pace edge this weekend

• Ferrari remained in hot pursuit: Leclerc and Hamilton locked in P2–P3 with Quali-type laps.

• Championship leader Oscar Piastri slotted into P4, showing McLaren depth.

• Verstappen improved to P5 after initial car balance issues but still trails by half a second 

• Mercedes gained points with Antonelli P6 and Russell P8, and Aston Martin's Stroll cracked the top 7.

Insights & Takeaways

• McLaren Advantage: Norris led both long-run simulation and outright pace, indicating a potent car on both short and long stints.

• Ferrari Resurgence: Strong undercut in both practices from Hamilton and Leclerc suggests they’ll be serious contenders in qualifying.

• Verstappen’s Woes: Red Bull’s handling troubles continue—FP2 improvement notwithstanding, he's still behind.

• Baltic Grid Dynamics: Mercedes and Aston Martin look firmly midfield but competitive, especially for strategic plays.

What to Watch Next

• Qualifying Strategy: Who nails the one-lap performance on Saturday? Norris vs Ferrari looks like the key battle.

• Red Bull Race Pace: Verstappen will aim to capitalize on race setups—curious if the upgrades work overnight.

• Weather Conditions: Silverstone often throws curveballs with wind and light rain—keep an eye on it.