Ferrari lacks power as Lewis Hamilton vents on radio: “He flew right past me” | British GP Sprint. Lewis Hamilton frustrated by Ferrari's power deficit after British GP Sprint.

Ahead of the British Grand Prix weekend, Lewis Hamilton had openly admitted that Silverstone could become one of Ferrari’s most challenging circuits of the season due to the SF-26’s apparent power deficit compared to its rivals. Yet Friday produced a completely unexpected result, with the Scuderia securing Sprint pole position and sending the home crowd into celebration while catching much of the Formula 1 paddock by surprise.

Ferrari’s performance was unexpected even for Lewis Hamilton himself. Based on the team’s simulations, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion had anticipated losing significant performance at the end of the straights, leaving Ferrari at a clear disadvantage against Mercedes and the other frontrunners. Instead, meticulous preparation, an effective energy management strategy and the strong characteristics of the SF-26 chassis allowed Ferrari to eliminate much of the expected gap, particularly over a single lap.

Lewis Hamilton delivers despite pre-weekend concerns

The surprise was made even more remarkable by Ferrari’s struggles at the Austrian Grand Prix, where the SF-26 had clearly suffered on the straights. That experience had raised concerns within the team that Silverstone would present similar difficulties.

However, encouraging signs appeared as early as the opening practice session. Ferrari’s engineers quickly identified a competitive setup direction, and the data suggested the expected losses on the straights were nowhere near as severe as initially feared.

Lewis Hamilton then completed a superb Sprint Qualifying lap on a circuit where he has built one of the greatest records in Formula 1 history. Starting from pole position, the British driver hoped to convert that performance into victory by defending the lead throughout the 17-lap Sprint. Ultimately, however, Mercedes proved to have the stronger package over race distance.

Ferrari’s lack of power resurfaces during the Sprint

Throughout the Sprint, Lewis Hamilton fought hard to keep Andrea Kimi Antonelli behind him. Over the course of the race, though, Ferrari’s power unit limitations, combined with Mercedes’ superior race pace and excellent tyre management—particularly from the young Italian driver—gradually shifted the balance.

Hamilton eventually had to settle for second place ahead of qualifying later in the day and Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Among the factors he highlighted after the race, Lewis Hamilton complained over the team radio about the lack of power from Ferrari’s 067/6 power unit, especially immediately after being overtaken by Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes. His message left little room for interpretation.

“He flew past me. I have no power.”