Ferrari emerged from the opening day of the British Grand Prix weekend with plenty of encouraging signs at Silverstone. The Scuderia looked competitive both over a single lap and during its race simulations in the only free practice session of the Sprint weekend, before confirming that speed by securing Sprint pole later in the day.
Even so, it is still too early to draw definitive conclusions. Ferrari arrived at Silverstone after a disappointing Austrian Grand Prix, and one impressive Friday is not enough to completely change the competitive picture. However, credit must be given where it is due: during the only practice session of the weekend, Ferrari appeared to be the reference team.
Before jumping to conclusions, though, it is important to understand the context behind the data collected during FP1, especially when analysing long-run pace.
Why the FP1 data must be treated with caution
With Sprint weekends allowing just a single practice session, teams are forced to complete an enormous amount of work in only one hour. Engineers must evaluate the car setup, complete qualifying simulations, gather race pace data and understand tyre behaviour, all within a very limited timeframe.
As a result, every team follows a different programme, making direct comparisons extremely difficult. Fuel loads, engine modes and tyre strategies can vary significantly, meaning the lap times alone rarely tell the full story.
That is exactly why the long-run analysis from Silverstone should be interpreted carefully.
Ferrari looked the strongest over long runs
Among all the teams, Ferrari appeared to combine outright speed with the greatest level of consistency during its race simulations.
The Maranello outfit not only produced some of the fastest lap times but also maintained a remarkably stable pace throughout its stint. Nevertheless, there is an important caveat.
Based on the pace difference compared to its rivals, Ferrari seemed to be the only leading team that completed a run closely resembling a genuine Sprint race simulation. Oscar Piastri may have attempted something similar, but the McLaren driver completed too few laps for any meaningful comparison.
Mercedes drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli displayed almost identical pace, with both producing very consistent lap times. Given the gap to Ferrari, however, it is possible that Mercedes was running with a different fuel load—perhaps around half a tank—rather than executing a full Sprint simulation.
Red Bull’s programme was even harder to interpret. The Milton Keynes team may have focused more heavily on Sunday’s Grand Prix setup rather than Saturday’s Sprint, making comparisons with Ferrari even more complicated.
McLaren’s approach also raised questions. Lando Norris’ lap times proved particularly difficult to explain and may indicate that the team was operating with a fuel load closer to Mercedes than Ferrari.
Too many unknowns to identify a clear favourite
At this stage of the weekend, naming a favourite for either the Sprint or the British Grand Prix would be premature.
The most encouraging aspect of Ferrari’s long-run performance was not simply the overall pace, but the way the SF-26 improved towards the end of the stint. The strongest lap times came as the run progressed, suggesting that tyre degradation was well under control and that the car remained competitive even as the tyres aged.
This was particularly evident on the C1 Hard compound, which was the tyre most teams selected for their race simulations during FP1.
That ability to preserve tyre performance could become an important advantage over longer distances, especially if track temperatures remain high throughout the weekend.
Mercedes could still have an advantage on Sunday
Despite Ferrari’s impressive showing, Mercedes cannot be overlooked.
Silverstone places enormous emphasis on efficient energy management under the 2026 regulations, and Mercedes has consistently demonstrated one of the strongest overall packages in that area throughout the season.
The consistency shown by both Mercedes drivers during their race simulations suggests there may still be untapped performance available once fuel loads are reduced and the setup is fully optimised.
If one driver had to be identified as the early favourite based on Friday’s data, Andrea Kimi Antonelli would arguably stand out. The young Italian once again demonstrated his ability to maximise the performance of the Mercedes W17 over both a single lap and longer runs, continuing the excellent form he has displayed throughout the 2026 campaign.
George Russell, meanwhile, appeared to struggle slightly more in qualifying trim, much like Charles Leclerc did on the Ferrari side of the garage. Both drivers found themselves trailing their respective teammates when ultimate pace mattered most.
With a full evening available to analyse data before Saturday’s action, every leading team will be searching for improvements. Engineers now face the challenge of refining setup, optimising energy deployment and closing the small but significant gaps that emerged during Friday’s sessions.
As things stand, Ferrari has every reason to be encouraged by its performance at Silverstone, but the true competitive order remains far from settled. The Sprint and the final qualifying session should provide a much clearer picture of who holds the upper hand heading into Sunday’s British Grand Prix.
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