Lewis Hamilton, Silverstone and the British Grand Prix. No driver has been extra profitable at their residence race, no driver has been extra profitable at one F1 venue, and positively 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 residence 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 gained by Brits – Mercedes’ George Russell in Canada and McLaren’s Lando Norris in Austria – however Ferrari are the one ‘large 4’ staff with no 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 staff.
However a yr after taking a report ninth victory at Silverstone amid a few of the most emotional scenes of his profession, what likelihood residence turf once more proving the scene of one other notable milestone?
Hamilton pinpoints space to enhance after Ferrari’s Austria positive aspects
Ferrari actually head for Hamilton’s residence race on the again of a morale-boosting exhibiting in Austria, when their underperforming SF-25 automobile debuted an upgraded ground.
Whereas no single improve is more likely to completely rework a staff’s fortunes from one weekend to a different in what’s now the fourth and last yr of F1’s present guidelines cycle, the modifications Ferrari launched beneath their automobile final week actually did appear to have a optimistic affect on efficiency, as Hamilton and Charles Leclerc agreed.
Sky Sports activities F1 pundits Ted Kravitz and Bernie Collins speak us by Ferrari’s ‘large improve’ for the Austrian Grand Prix.
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 staff behind championship leaders McLaren and duly took residence third and fourth-place finishes within the race.
It was once more Leclerc who cleared the path 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 anticipate a podium return now stretches to a career-worst 13 races however he may additionally level to private progress with Ferrari’s automobile on the way in which 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 finest race end from Imola in Could.
Apparently, nevertheless, 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 truly 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 will simply preserve working at it,” stated Hamilton of his type after the race.
“I really feel like I made progress this weekend.
Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari made ‘mega progress’ this weekend, which noticed the staff safe a 3rd and fourth place end on the Austrian Grand Prix.
“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 received to search out some tempo for the race, however undoubtedly bettering.”
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 large favourites, whereas Ferrari also can count on 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’s even the possibility of showers over the weekend – whereas Crimson Bull’s finest type 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 strong basis on which to construct forward of additional anticipated upgrades to the automobile earlier than F1’s summer season break subsequent month.
Then there’s an undoubted ‘Hamilton issue’ to think about.
Pay attention again to Lewis Hamilton’s emotional staff radio after he gained the British GP for Mercedes final yr
If there was any doubt left that the seven-time champion manages to usually discover one thing a bit of particular for his annual Silverstone homecoming – even within the context of tougher seasons – then the occasions of 2024 absolutely put that to mattress.
Hamilton arrived ultimately July’s British GP having gone 56 races since December 2021 with no 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 circumstances 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 gained the identical race that many instances too – however one which carried specific emotional significance.
Talking afterwards, Hamilton admitted: “There’s undoubtedly been moments the place , 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, actually, 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 singular 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 residence report, solely 35 drivers within the sport’s historical past have gained extra anyplace mixed of their careers on the calendar than Hamilton has at Silverstone.
It was a dramatic last lap for Lewis Hamilton on the 2020 British GP as he limped residence to victory with a puncture.
“We’re coming to Silverstone which is a Lewis Hamilton monitor,” stated Sky Sports activities F1’s Karun Chandhok.
“Would not the gang go completely mad if he gained there?”
Sky Sports activities F1’s British GP schedule
The 2025 British Grand Prix is stay on Sky Sports activities F1
Thursday July 3
2pm: Drivers’ Press Convention
6pm: The F1 Present Particular
Friday July 4
8.45am: F3 Follow
9.55am: F2 Follow
12pm: British GP Follow One (session begins at 12.30pm)
1.55pm: F3 Qualifying
2.50pm: F2 Qualifying
3.35pm: British GP Follow Two (session begins at 4pm)
5.15pm: The F1 Present
Look again at a few of the most dramatic moments all through the years on the British Grand Prix.
Saturday July 5
9.10am: F3 Dash
11.15pm: British GP Follow 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 Foremost Occasion
Subsequent up within the 2025 Components 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 activities with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime.
