Jenson Button believes Lewis Hamilton heads into the British Grand Prix with genuine confidence, arguing that the seven-time Formula 1 world champion has once again outperformed Charles Leclerc and could even fight for victory at Silverstone.
The old Lewis Hamilton is back
Few would have predicted it a year ago, but Ferrari’s hopes currently appear to rest on the shoulders of Lewis Hamilton. Even during a difficult Austrian Grand Prix weekend for the Scuderia, the seven-time world champion managed to minimise the damage better than Charles Leclerc, despite the Monegasque driver starting ahead of him on the grid.
Using a three-stop strategy, Lewis Hamilton brought his Ferrari home in fifth place, while Charles Leclerc slipped back to eighth. Now Formula 1 heads to Silverstone, Hamilton’s home race and a circuit where he has already claimed an incredible nine Grand Prix victories.
According to his former McLaren team-mate Jenson Button, the Ferrari driver could once again be a major contender this weekend.
“Lewis will definitely arrive full of confidence,” the 2009 Formula 1 world champion told Sky Sports News. “The last race didn’t go the way he wanted, but it wasn’t his fault. If you compare him with his team-mate Charles Leclerc, who is very highly regarded, Lewis came out on top once again.
“He managed his tyres much better during the opening part of the race and had the pace when his team-mate didn’t. He won’t be happy with the final result, but he’ll know he extracted the maximum from the car. It’s the old Lewis we used to know. He’s maximising everything, and it’s really great to see him like that.”
The perfect setup for Silverstone
Button shared the McLaren garage with Lewis Hamilton between 2010 and 2012 and knows exactly what kind of car characteristics and setup suit the British driver best.
“The temperatures will be a little cooler and, from an aerodynamic point of view, Ferrari is actually quite strong,” Button explained. “Silverstone is primarily a power circuit, but you also have to maintain speed through the corners as well as on the straights. I think Lewis is confident that he has a chance to win.
“He’s exceptionally good at driving a car with a very front-end-focused setup,” the former British driver continued. “That’s exactly what you need at Silverstone. You have to carry speed through the high-speed sections while also being able to handle the rapid changes of direction. That’s a crucial part of the lap, and I think that’s where one of Lewis’ greatest strengths lies.
“Whenever I was up against him, he was always able to drive a car with a very aggressive front-end setup, and that’s the fastest way to drive around Silverstone.”
Jenson Button’s insights highlight how Lewis Hamilton’s clinical driving style and vast experience could trigger a massive breakthrough at the upcoming British Grand Prix. While Ferrari continues to grapple with mechanical and aerodynamic balance issues, the Briton’s innate ability to extract performance from a front-pointed setup provides a significant advantage at high-speed venues like Silverstone. Overcoming Maranello’s recent operational hurdles will be tough, but maximizing this technical sweet spot remains essential if Hamilton aims to outperform Charles Leclerc once again and deliver a dream home result for his legion of British fans.
Leave a Reply