Lewis Hamilton: Ferrari driver ‘definitely i...

Lewis Hamilton, Silverstone and the British Grand Prix. No driver has been extra profitable at their dwelling race, no driver has been extra profitable at one F1 venue, and definitely few within the sport’s historical past have obtained fairly the identical stage of long-time adulation from a crowd.

And it’s the storied dwelling of British motorsport that welcomes F1 once more this weekend because the 2025 season – Hamilton’s first in Ferrari purple – reaches its midway level.

The final two races have been received by Brits – Mercedes’ George Russell in Canada and McLaren’s Lando Norris in Austria – however Ferrari are the one ‘huge 4’ workforce and not using a Grand Prix victory for both of their drivers after 11 rounds, whereas Hamilton can also be nonetheless looking for his maiden Sunday podium at his new workforce.

However a yr after taking a report ninth victory at Silverstone amid a number of the most emotional scenes of his profession, what likelihood dwelling turf once more proving the scene of one other notable milestone?

Hamilton pinpoints space to enhance after Ferrari’s Austria beneficial properties

Ferrari definitely head for Hamilton’s dwelling race on the again of a morale-boosting exhibiting in Austria, when their underperforming SF-25 automotive debuted an upgraded flooring.

Whereas no single improve is more likely to completely rework a workforce’s fortunes from one weekend to a different in what’s now the fourth and remaining yr of F1’s present guidelines cycle, the modifications Ferrari launched beneath their automotive final week definitely did appear to have a optimistic affect on efficiency, as Hamilton and Charles Leclerc agreed.

On a weekend Mercedes wilted within the warmth and Crimson Bull’s Max Verstappen noticed his podium prospects wrecked by components outdoors of his management, Ferrari have been persistently the second-fastest workforce behind championship leaders McLaren and duly took dwelling third and fourth-place finishes within the race.

It was once more Leclerc who paved the way for the Scuderia, qualifying on the entrance row earlier than ending third – his third podium go to within the final 4 races, and fourth total in 2025.

Hamilton’s watch for a podium return now stretches to a career-worst 13 races however he may additionally level to private progress with Ferrari’s automotive on the best way to his fourth place in Austria.

He certified simply 0.090s slower than his team-mate – giving him his first second-row beginning berth for a Grand Prix this yr – and completed in the identical place to match his greatest race end from Imola in Could.

Curiously, nonetheless, though it has been Hamilton’s persistent points in qualifying which have gained most consideration over the previous season-and-a-half at first Mercedes and now at Ferrari, the 40-year-old left Austria saying it was really his race tempo that he wanted to work on most after ending 9 seconds behind Leclerc on the finish of Sunday’s 70-lap contest.

“I am going to simply maintain working at it,” stated Hamilton of his kind after the race.

“I really feel like I made progress this weekend.

“I used to be lower than a tenth off Charles in qualifying, and we discovered an issue by qualifying with the brakes, the place I misplaced a tenth, in order that’s optimistic.

“I’ve simply obtained to seek out some tempo for the race, however positively enhancing.”

Can Hamilton keep his distinctive Silverstone podium streak?

So, initially, what likelihood Ferrari being real podium contenders once more across the high-speed sweeps of Silverstone?

McLaren’s competitiveness is seemingly with out query on most tracks, and they’re going to once more begin as huge favourites, whereas Ferrari may also anticipate elevated competitors from their two different front-running rivals in comparison with Austria.

Mercedes, Silverstone polesitters with Russell and winners with Hamilton final yr, ought to welcome the truth that the UK’s heatwave is about to subside – there may be even the possibility of showers over the weekend – whereas Crimson Bull’s greatest kind this yr has been on tracks that includes quick turns.

For all that, Ferrari will nonetheless hope their step ahead in tempo from the final occasion will show a stable basis on which to construct forward of additional anticipated upgrades to the automotive earlier than F1’s summer time break subsequent month.

Then there may be an undoubted ‘Hamilton issue’ to contemplate.

If there was any doubt left that the seven-time champion manages to typically discover one thing somewhat particular for his annual Silverstone homecoming – even within the context of tougher seasons – then the occasions of 2024 certainly put that to mattress.

Hamilton arrived eventually July’s British GP having gone 56 races since December 2021 and not using a victory, and having solely completed on the rostrum as soon as within the earlier 14 races, but produced a virtuoso Sunday drive in wet-dry situations to grab a race win that ranked as one of many perfect of his profession.

It was not solely a record-extending ninth win on the British GP – the primary time any driver had received the identical race that many occasions too – however one which carried specific emotional significance.

Talking afterwards, Hamilton admitted: “There’s positively been moments the place you already know, the thought that this was it, that that was by no means going to occur once more. So to have this sense come throughout the road, I feel, truthfully, I’ve by no means cried coming from a win. It simply got here out of me.

“And it is a actually, actually nice feeling. I am very, very grateful for it.”

The win meant the Briton emphatically prolonged one other proud Silverstone report – a podium-finishing streak that stretches again to 2014.

In a novel feat at any Grand Prix, Hamilton has completed on the final 11 British GP podiums – and 12 in a row at Silverstone in all counting the second race that the venue held (the seventieth Anniversary GP) in 2020’s Covid-hit marketing campaign.

Underlining his beautiful dwelling report, solely 35 drivers within the sport’s historical past have received extra wherever mixed of their careers on the calendar than Hamilton has at Silverstone.

“We’re coming to Silverstone which is a Lewis Hamilton observe,” stated Sky Sports activities F1’s Karun Chandhok.

“Would not the gang go completely mad if he received there?”

Sky Sports F1’s British GP schedule

Thursday July 3
2pm: Drivers’ Press Convention
6pm: The F1 Present Particular

Friday July 4
8.45am: F3 Apply
9.55am: F2 Apply
12pm: British GP Apply One (session begins at 12.30pm)
1.55pm: F3 Qualifying
2.50pm: F2 Qualifying
3.35pm: British GP Apply Two (session begins at 4pm)
5.15pm: The F1 Present

Saturday July 5
9.10am: F3 Dash
11.15pm: British GP Apply 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 Function Race
11am: F2 Function 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 Principal Occasion

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