The Austrian Grand Prix brought Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton’s momentum back down to earth after expectations had risen sharply following the Briton’s first victory for the Scuderia in Barcelona. Heading into the Red Bull Ring weekend, optimism surrounding Ferrari’s chances was considerably higher.
Instead, soaring temperatures, less-than-ideal tyre management, disappointing race pace and a few strategic mistakes combined to produce a difficult weekend. Ferrari ended up only as the fourth-fastest team on the grid. However, as Formula 1 heads to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix, there are those who believe Lewis Hamilton could once again be among the leading contenders.
Can Silverstone reignite Lewis Hamilton’s campaign?
Silverstone has always been a special place for Lewis Hamilton. It is a circuit he knows better than almost anyone, having claimed nine victories there while producing some of the most memorable performances of his career. Whether through spectacular overtakes, bold racecraft or controversial moments that are still discussed today, Hamilton has built an extraordinary legacy at the British venue.
Last season, he competed in his first home race as a Ferrari driver and finished just shy of the podium after delivering a composed and highly effective drive in mixed wet conditions. This year marks his second appearance at Silverstone behind the wheel of the Scuderia, and naturally his ambition will once again be to fight at the front and, perhaps, repeat the success he enjoyed in Catalonia.
Hamilton himself, however, has admitted that it will not be an easy challenge. Silverstone is another circuit where engine performance plays a major role, featuring long straights, rapid direction changes and high-speed corners that place enormous demands on the tyres. Speaking after the Austrian Grand Prix, the Briton acknowledged that although he has traditionally performed well at Silverstone, this year’s race will still represent a significant challenge.
Despite that, one person who continues to believe in Hamilton’s chances is former Formula 1 driver Jenson Button.
Why Jenson Button expects Hamilton to be among the frontrunners
Speaking to Sky Sports, the 2009 Formula 1 world champion said that Hamilton will arrive at Silverstone “certainly with a lot of confidence.”
Button added: “The last race didn’t go the way he wanted, but it wasn’t his fault. The package simply wasn’t there.”
He then compared Hamilton’s performance with that of his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc: “If you compare him with his teammate, Charles Leclerc, who is hugely respected, Lewis came out on top again. He managed those tyres much better at the beginning of the race and had the pace when his teammate didn’t.”
Button continued: “He won’t be happy with the result, but he’ll know he extracted the maximum. It’s the old Lewis that we knew, he’s maximising everything, and it’s really great to watch. He’ll be confident going into slightly cooler temperatures.”
Finally, the Briton also praised Ferrari’s overall package, saying it is “pretty good aerodynamically. Silverstone is mainly a power circuit, but you still need to carry speed through the corners as well as on the straights. I think he’ll arrive believing he has a chance of winning.”
Can Silverstone put Ferrari back at the front?
Button’s comments provide an interesting starting point for assessing Ferrari’s prospects at Silverstone, another crucial test for the SF-26. Much like Barcelona and Spa-Francorchamps, the British Grand Prix is one of those weekends that truly exposes a car’s technical strengths while also highlighting the connection between driver and machine.
It is also worth recalling Hamilton’s own remarks after the Austrian Grand Prix when he admitted: “I’ve always done well there, but it will be a challenging race.”
The characteristics of the Silverstone circuit explain why. Long straights are combined with fast, flowing corners and a layout that, in several respects, has far more in common with Barcelona than with Austria.
One factor that links Silverstone to Ferrari’s previous two races is the expected warm weather. There is, however, one major difference: in Britain, rain is always a realistic possibility. If changing weather conditions arrive, they could help Ferrari manage tyre degradation far more effectively than it did in Austria.
For comparison, track temperatures reached around 48°C during the Austrian Grand Prix, while Barcelona exceeded 50°C. Although air temperatures at Silverstone are forecast to be close to 30°C, the asphalt could still become extremely hot over the course of the weekend.
There is another key difference compared to the previous two races. Between Barcelona and Austria, Pirelli selected relatively softer tyre compounds. Spain featured the C2, C3 and C4 range, while Spielberg used the even softer C3, C4 and C5 allocation, reflecting a circuit that is generally less demanding on tyres. Silverstone, by contrast, returns to the hardest compounds in Pirelli’s range: C1, C2 and C3.
Could the British Grand Prix suit Ferrari better than Austria?
Looking back at Ferrari’s performances over the past two Grands Prix, Lewis Hamilton generally managed his tyres more effectively than teammate Charles Leclerc. However, that should not distract from the main issue that emerged in Austria.
Ferrari simply struggled to make its package work in extremely high track temperatures. Tyre degradation became severe very quickly, forcing Hamilton into an unusual four-stop strategy during the race.
Barcelona, on the other hand, offered some encouraging signs. The circuit features significantly more corners and high-speed direction changes than the Red Bull Ring, which remains a classic stop-and-go layout. It also used slightly harder tyre compounds. This could—although it remains too early to say with certainty—represent Ferrari’s biggest reason for optimism ahead of Silverstone.
There is no doubt that Silverstone remains one of the most demanding circuits on the Formula 1 calendar, where power unit performance will be critical. At the same time, however, aerodynamic efficiency and overall downforce play an even greater role thanks to the large number of fast corners. Those characteristics could suit Ferrari better than the conditions it faced in Austria.
Another encouraging factor comes from Pirelli’s tyre selection. Hamilton secured victory in Barcelona using a strategy built around the C2, C3 and C4 compounds. At Silverstone, the available tyres will instead be the harder C1, C2 and C3 range, which could allow Ferrari to control degradation more effectively throughout the race.
Ultimately, Ferrari’s objective will be to put both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in contention for podium finishes while confirming the progress shown over recent weeks. If the Scuderia can combine improved tyre management with the strong aerodynamic characteristics of the SF-26, Silverstone could offer a genuine opportunity to return to the front on one of Formula 1’s most technical and prestigious circuits.
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