Thanks to the introduction of a new floor, the 2025 Ferrari SF-25 Formula 1 car is finally able to run at a lower ride height, and this technical change has produced immediate benefits. On a front-limited circuit such as the historic Silverstone track, the improvements were visible from the very first session. Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc and his Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton finished Friday’s free practice sessions in second and third place respectively, putting significant pressure on McLaren not only in qualifying simulations but also in terms of race pace over longer runs.
For Scuderia Ferrari, the Friday sessions at Silverstone represented their strongest start to a Grand Prix weekend in the first half of the 2025 Formula 1 season. The performance demonstrated by Charles Leclerc and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton exceeded external expectations, particularly in both qualifying simulations and race pace simulations (long runs). Unlike previous Fridays this season, there were no radio messages from the drivers complaining about poor drivability, no dramatic changes to the car’s setup, and no obvious issues. According to the data, Ferrari firmly established itself as the second-fastest team in qualifying trim, with Leclerc and Hamilton locking in the second and third positions behind McLaren’s Lando Norris. In race trim, it was Charles Leclerc who set the benchmark pace.
Several factors contributed to the surprisingly strong performance of the SF-25 on the 18-turn layout of Silverstone Circuit. The smooth surface and front-limited characteristics of the track certainly played to Ferrari’s advantage. However, the arrival of the updated floor appears to be the key factor behind this step forward. The new component allows the SF-25 to maintain a more consistent level of aerodynamic downforce, even as the ride height changes slightly during a lap.
The synergy between the revised floor and the Silverstone layout has allowed Ferrari to finally put aside a persistent issue that emerged back during the Australian Grand Prix weekend in Melbourne. That Friday evening in Australia marked a turning point: engineers discovered that the wooden plank underneath Charles Leclerc’s SF-25—who had been leading the timesheets ahead of both McLaren drivers—was wearing excessively and would not pass post-session scrutineering. From that moment, the team was forced into a long and difficult process of addressing what turned out to be a structural issue.
As a result, Ferrari had to run the SF-25 with a higher ride height than originally intended by the design concept, which came with a notable sacrifice in aerodynamic performance. But now, at Silverstone, there is a sense of cautious optimism in the Ferrari garage. The car can finally run lower to the ground, closer to its ideal aerodynamic window.
During the qualifying simulations on Friday, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton remained within two to three tenths of a second of Lando Norris, confirming Ferrari’s improved pace over a single lap. In the race simulation runs, it was Leclerc who led the pack. All the top teams ran on medium compound tyres, and Leclerc completed an eleven-lap stint with a consistent pace of 1:32.120. This was two-tenths of a second faster than McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and one-tenth quicker than Lando Norris. The only uncertainty remains Max Verstappen, but the Red Bull Racing driver completed just seven push laps, albeit with an impressive average of 1:32.019.
Charles Leclerc shared his positive feelings after the session: “Today went rather well because the feeling in the cockpit was good,” he explained. “There is still some work to do on the car setup. In qualifying trim, we are not quite there yet, but I’d say we are more competitive in terms of race pace. Overall, I really enjoyed driving today and I’m looking forward to getting back on track tomorrow.”
These words represent a clear shift in tone compared to other Fridays earlier in the season and align with the optimism that Leclerc already expressed upon arriving at Silverstone on Thursday.
The mood in the other side of the Ferrari garage was even more upbeat. Lewis Hamilton appeared reinvigorated, possibly thanks to the home crowd or the motivational boost from topping the timesheets in Free Practice 1. The British driver immediately looked comfortable at the wheel of the Ferrari SF-25, and he maintained his place among the top three in the afternoon FP2 session as well. “It was an exciting day,” confirmed Hamilton. “It was amazing to get out on track at Silverstone for the first time as a Ferrari driver. I felt comfortable in the car during both sessions, although I did hit a bit of traffic on my fastest lap in FP2, so there’s definitely more potential to unlock.”
McLaren remains the clear favourite for the British Grand Prix weekend. It is very likely that the Scuderia Ferrari engineers are aware of this as well. However, unlike what we saw just a week ago at the Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg, the performance gap now appears much smaller. Ferrari is now breathing down McLaren’s neck, and this puts the Woking-based team under pressure to execute everything perfectly in order to maintain their advantage and protect their lead.
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