It was an aggressive and determined race for seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton during the British Grand Prix held at the iconic Silverstone Circuit last weekend. The Scuderia Ferrari driver ultimately crossed the finish line in fourth place. Despite a solid performance throughout the Silverstone weekend, Lewis Hamilton was unfortunately unable to pose a serious threat in the closing stages to the Sauber car driven by German driver Nico Hülkenberg, whose team is currently led by former Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto.
This outcome represented a clear disappointment for Lewis Hamilton, who had high hopes of stepping onto the podium in front of his home crowd. After a promising start to the weekend, expectations were high for a top-three finish. However, the unpredictable weather and rain that fell during the race disrupted Ferrari’s strategy and limited the car’s potential, preventing the Briton from achieving a more rewarding result on home soil.
The SF-25 once again proved to be a car that loses grip and slides through every corner. And yet the race weekend had started on a positive note, with encouraging signs suggesting that the Maranello team might be able to fight for a podium position or even more. The Friday free practice sessions demonstrated that the SF-25 car had a convincing race pace, and even in Saturday’s qualifying session, Lewis Hamilton had expressed satisfaction with the vehicle’s behavior in dry conditions. Despite the fact that he qualified only in fifth place, he had confidence in the car’s balance and performance.
However, once rain began to fall on race day, the limitations of the SF-25 sadly became increasingly evident, especially in low-grip conditions. This was a weakness that had already been exposed earlier in the 2025 Formula 1 season, notably during the Australian Grand Prix held at Melbourne’s Albert Park Circuit. The new floor upgrade introduced at the Red Bull Ring during the Austrian Grand Prix had shown some promise and encouraging feedback, but it was still insufficient to fully resolve the car’s fundamental issues and stability shortcomings.
Throughout the 52-lap race, Lewis Hamilton battled fiercely and even delivered a breathtaking overtaking move around the outside of both George Russell in the Mercedes W16 and Esteban Ocon in the Alpine. That daring maneuver was enthusiastically welcomed by the crowd of British fans, who packed the grandstands at Silverstone to cheer on their national hero.
Nevertheless, the positive feeling that the seven-time Formula 1 world champion had developed with the SF-25 over the weekend began to deteriorate once the weather turned and the track became more unpredictable and slippery. In the post-race interview zone, Lewis Hamilton stated that the car simply did not have the necessary stability. The Briton explained that it was sliding through every single corner and never felt properly settled on the tarmac, while also emphasizing how difficult it had been to find consistent grip and precise handling on much of the Silverstone layout, which features a mix of high-speed and technical corners.
To make matters worse, Scuderia Ferrari’s choices regarding tyre compound selection and the timing of pit stops during the race also played a negative role. Lewis Hamilton pointed out that they lost three or four positions due to those tactical decisions taken mid-race. These misjudgments further compromised what could have been a more rewarding result for the Italian team. Strategic decisions and tyre management therefore made the race even more complicated.
Despite all the challenges faced during the British Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton still managed to bring home a solid haul of points for the Drivers’ and Constructors’ standings. He underlined that, although the weekend was far from flawless, it still represented progress compared to the Maranello team’s previous outings in the 2025 Formula One World Championship. The overall trajectory remained positive.
Fourth place at Silverstone equaled Lewis Hamilton’s best result this season, matching his finishes at both the Red Bull Ring in Austria and at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola. Since joining the legendary Ferrari team, this remains his strongest race finish on a Sunday in 2025. Although the connection and synergy with the SF-25 is still a work in progress, ongoing development efforts continue at Maranello to close the gap to the leading teams.
Meanwhile, a private filming day and test session is scheduled in about five days at the historic Mugello Circuit in Tuscany. On that occasion, the Maranello-based team plans to evaluate a new and updated version of the car’s rear suspension. This component remains one of the key technical areas under scrutiny, as Ferrari aims to boost the SF-25’s competitiveness, especially under varying track conditions.
Lewis Hamilton later explained that the car’s performance in qualifying had also delivered some encouraging signs. He noted that he felt confident and comfortable with the setup in dry conditions, even though that configuration was clearly not suitable for rain. Still, the weekend allowed the team to gather valuable data and technical information.
The British racing legend stressed that if the current SF-25 still requires further evolution, the team at least now has a clearer understanding of the development direction to take. The information collected during the British Grand Prix weekend will also be essential for shaping the concept and performance targets of the 2026 Formula 1 car that Ferrari will bring to the grid under the new technical regulations. The Silverstone weekend therefore at least provided useful in terms of insights for the 2026 Ferrari car.
Lewis Hamilton commented that he now believed he knew exactly what he needed to explain to the technical department regarding the elements he does not want to see replicated in the next-generation car. He is aware that certain characteristics of the current SF-25 make the Ferrari single-seater too reactive and unstable under specific conditions. The driving experience becomes very challenging, especially when track grip changes due to rain or varying temperatures. Moreover, adjustments to the car’s balance do not seem to bring any meaningful improvements.
For Lewis Hamilton, this is not just a superficial problem—it is a profound and structural issue embedded in the car’s core design. However, thanks to his long and successful Formula 1 career, Hamilton now feels that he is in a strong position to provide the Maranello team with clearer and more precise technical feedback to steer development in the right direction.
Still, there are positives to build on. Despite all the struggles and missed opportunities, Lewis Hamilton reiterated that the car’s raw performance is still improving. He stated once again that he had been at ease with the dry-weather setup, even though it turned out to be ineffective once the rain arrived. The seven-time World Champion concluded by saying that there are still many positive aspects to focus on.
Even during a difficult and imperfect race such as this one, it is still possible to extract valuable lessons and indications for future races. According to Lewis Hamilton, the current Ferrari SF-25 is simply too difficult to drive under certain conditions. The Briton acknowledged that driving in changing weather conditions is tough for all the teams on the grid, but he emphasized that for Scuderia Ferrari the situation was particularly complex and challenging at Silverstone.
Ferrari shows signs of progress, but fragility remains
In the final analysis, the 2025 British Grand Prix at Silverstone provided a mixed outcome for the Scuderia. On one hand, there were clear signs of improvement in terms of overall performance and car potential. On the other hand, the car’s underlying fragility and sensitivity to track and weather changes still hold the team back from achieving stronger results.
The workload in Maranello remains substantial, and the mid-season summer break is fast approaching. Ferrari’s goal will be to close the first half of the Formula 1 season with a greater sense of certainty and a more stable technical foundation. The next stop on the calendar will be the legendary Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. There, Ferrari is expected to debut the updated rear suspension system—provided it receives approval during the Mugello test days.
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