The first free practice session of the 2025 Formula 1 British Grand Prix has already provided several technically interesting insights, with Scuderia Ferrari delivering, almost unexpectedly, some very encouraging signals in terms of aerodynamic downforce, overall balance, and Lewis Hamilton’s clear desire to fight at the front. Let’s take a look at the data to better understand the early competitive picture.
Lewis Hamilton quickest, gains time in the slow section
In the direct comparison between Lewis Hamilton (his lap is highlighted in yellow) and Charles Leclerc (in red), a complex yet indicative scenario emerges: the British driver of Scuderia Ferrari builds his initial advantage at the beginning of the lap, specifically in the very slow section of Turn 3, where he achieves a very clean and precise entry phase. Right afterward, at Turn 4, the seven-time World Champion opts for a visibly different line compared to the rest of the field, carrying a slightly lower minimum speed. However, this does not cost him time — on the contrary, it helps him maximize traction on the exit. It may well be the first small “trick” from the British driver on his home circuit.
Source: formulapassion.it
Ferrari strong in the fast middle sector
The central part of the lap clearly favors the Ferrari SF-25. Charles Leclerc sets the best overall time in the section between Copse and the extremely high-downforce sequence of Maggots, Becketts, and Chapel. (Note: the lap in question is not his classified lap time, but the following one, which was faster up to the final corner and therefore more representative of true performance). At Copse corner, Leclerc keeps his foot fully on the throttle — 100% — while Lewis Hamilton lifts slightly, reaching only 96%, and all other drivers lift much more noticeably. This data illustrates the strong confidence that the SF-25 gives at such high speeds: the front end responds sharply, the rear remains balanced, and both drivers are able to fully extract the car’s potential.
What stands out is Lewis Hamilton’s passage through Copse — counter to his struggles this year in confidence-demanding corners. It becomes clear that the instinct required for a “guts-only” corner like Copse is still strong in the British driver, perhaps even overpowering any sense of instability in the car.
Charles Leclerc strong at Stowe, both Ferrari SF-25 cars struggle at Club corner exit
A few corners later at Stowe — a classic test for aerodynamic downforce levels — Charles Leclerc is even faster than Lando Norris, while Lewis Hamilton appears to struggle slightly more. It seems that Hamilton is still experiencing difficulties in areas where full trust in grip is required (with the exception of Copse, as previously noted).
Both Ferrari drivers then make mistakes exiting the very slow Club corner: Leclerc aborts the lap, while Hamilton still crosses the line and stays marginally ahead of Lando Norris, who could have been around two tenths behind otherwise. From the data, it appears that the Ferrari SF-25 might be running a slightly lower-downforce configuration in Hamilton’s hands compared to Charles Leclerc’s, and overall, the car’s balance looks excellent in fast sections and direction changes. However, the situation is more complicated in slower corners, where the drivers seem to struggle more to control the rear end of the car, especially during traction phases — the rear tends to step out more easily.
McLaren playing it safe for now. Race simulation sees Ferrari and McLaren close, Mercedes and Max Verstappen over 0.5s off
As for McLaren, the Woking-based team seems to be holding back for the time being, not revealing its full potential. Their program appeared conservative, and performance was kept under wraps, but the overall feeling remains positive for the team.
In race simulation stints, Lewis Hamilton again performed well, as did both McLaren cars, with similar lap time averages and trends. Charles Leclerc showed slightly more tire degradation compared to the others, although he was the only one to run on the Soft compound — a detail not to be overlooked.
For now, both Mercedes and Max Verstappen are noticeably behind, with average race pace over half a second slower than Ferrari and McLaren. However, much can still change over the course of the weekend. McLaren is expected to emerge more strongly, and Max Verstappen will need to make major setup changes to his Red Bull Racing car. We will see whether Free Practice 2 offers clearer indications of the true pecking order on track.
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