Ferrari exceeds expectations at Silverstone despite Mercedes advantage
Against all pre-weekend predictions, Ferrari once again proved its critics wrong at the British Grand Prix. Although Silverstone’s high-speed layout was expected to expose the SF-26’s weaknesses, the Scuderia delivered another impressive qualifying performance. Charles Leclerc secured an outstanding second place, while teammate Lewis Hamilton completed a strong session by taking third on the grid.
Before the weekend began, expectations around Ferrari had been fairly modest. Even the team’s own drivers had tried to manage optimism. Speaking on Thursday, Charles Leclerc admitted that both Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps would likely be among the most challenging events on the calendar for Ferrari, suggesting that the SF-26 would perform better at circuits more suited to its overall design philosophy.
Instead, Ferrari has once again managed to surprise everyone. From Friday onwards, the Italian team consistently featured at the front of the field, beginning with the practice sessions before Lewis Hamilton converted the pace into Sprint pole position. The clear impression is that Ferrari has become exceptionally effective at extracting maximum performance during qualifying. Charles Leclerc produced another superb lap to secure a front-row start, while Lewis Hamilton was unable to repeat Friday’s sensational performance but still claimed third place, matching the result he achieved in qualifying at the Austrian Grand Prix.
The bigger question, however, remains Ferrari’s race pace. Over a full race distance, the SF-26 still appears to trail Mercedes, largely because of the limitations of its power unit. The German team continues to hold a noticeable engine advantage and, when running in clean air, can produce extremely competitive race pace. Saturday’s Sprint provided only limited data, as it lasted just 17 laps and was run entirely on the medium tyre compound. It remains to be seen how the hard tyre will perform and whether the soft compound could become a decisive factor during Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Fred Vasseur: “I’m happy with today’s result”
Speaking to Sky Sport after qualifying, Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur reflected on Saturday’s performance, beginning with Charles Leclerc’s return to the front before discussing the team’s plans to challenge Mercedes in the race.
“For Charles, this is his second consecutive front-row start, considering he was also on the front row last weekend in Austria. It’s true that we introduced some changes to the car, but every circuit is different and requires a different balance, so you always have to work to find the right setup. Step by step, he’s improving. I’m really happy for him because he had been under pressure recently, and working in those conditions internally is never easy, but today he was very strong. Tomorrow’s race will be a different story.”
Assessing Ferrari’s chances against Mercedes, Fred Vasseur added:
“Their race pace this morning in the Sprint was quite good. We finished around two to two-and-a-half seconds behind the winner after 17 laps. Fighting for victory will be difficult because Mercedes still has a clear advantage in top speed, which makes overtaking them on the straights very difficult for us. We’ll see whether strategy allows us to create a different scenario compared to yesterday. Tomorrow we’ll have pit stops, and we’ll have to decide whether to extend the stints or not. We’ll have both cars starting from excellent positions, which will also allow us to split the strategies between our two drivers. Overall, today is a good result for the team.”
Fred Vasseur: “The tenths and sector times don’t lie”
Ferrari’s Team Principal also analysed the team’s overall Saturday performance, discussing whether any setup changes had been made between the Sprint and qualifying. He was also asked whether the cautious comments made by Ferrari’s drivers on Thursday had been part of a deliberate strategy to lower expectations.
On the first point, Fred Vasseur explained:
“We didn’t have to make too many compromises this weekend, but everyone learns something in every session, and we are constantly improving. Obviously, we’re not smarter than anyone else—every team analyses the data after each session. As you know, under parc fermé conditions you can’t change the car between Sprint Qualifying and the Sprint Race, so the focus shifts to managing everything afterwards and making the right changes for race pace.”
He continued:
“This morning we saw that overtaking is possible, so we configured the car with Sunday’s race in mind. Our pace this morning was decent, but a lot will depend on how each team chooses to deploy the hybrid energy. The Sprint was quite unusual because some drivers gained around 10 km/h on one straight and then lost 10 km/h on another. That makes it extremely important to be in the right track conditions and to benefit from the slipstream.”
Asked whether Ferrari intentionally downplays its expectations before race weekends, the Frenchman replied:
“The reality is that we still have a chronic deficit on certain circuits when it comes to energy deployment. Today we’re still paying a price in terms of outright power. We certainly changed a few things compared to last weekend, but the conditions here are completely different. Silverstone demands excellent cornering performance and stability. If the chassis is stable, you can afford to deliver the hybrid energy more progressively and smoothly. I think it’s a combination of several different factors—it’s not just about engine power this weekend.”
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