FP2 report: Charles Leclerc P5, Carlos Sainz P8 at Silverstone as McLaren top timesheets | 2024 F1 British GP. Ferrari report from FP2 for British GP.

A few minutes ago, the second free practice session scheduled for today at Silverstone also came to an end. After driving this morning, the drivers returned to the wheel of their cars to complete the programs they had started a few hours earlier. During the second free practice session for the British Grand Prix, Sergio Perez, Pierre Gasly, Kevin Magnussen, and Logan Sargeant took to the track as well, having given up their seats to the four rookies Isack Hadjar, Franco Colapinto, Oliver Bearman (who was recently confirmed behind the wheel of the Haas car for the next Formula 1 campaign), and Jack Doohan in the first free practice session at the Silverstone circuit.

The differentiated work at Ferrari yielded fairly clear but not definitive results. The configuration without the latest updates introduced in Canada, tested today by Carlos Sainz, proved better in fast corners thanks to a more stable car with less bouncing. The SF-24 with all the updates, driven by Charles Leclerc, was much more effective in slow corners. At the end of the tests, the gap between the two was so small that no configuration emerged as undoubtedly better than the other on this circuit. It is also possible that the two drivers, due to their different driving styles, might complete the weekend with the two different versions of the SF-24.

In race pace simulation, McLaren still seemed to have an advantage, but Red Bull was very close, with Mercedes and Ferrari not too far behind either.

Lando Norris finished the practice session ahead of everyone, in a McLaren that seems very comfortable at Silverstone. The Englishman set a time of 1:26.549. Behind him was his teammate Oscar Piastri, who completed his fastest lap three-tenths slower. Sergio Perez rounded out the top three, clocking in at 1:26.983 with his Red Bull. Sergio Perez is third from Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Then comes Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, who will be analysing all the data to see where Red Bull are losing time.

Rain hit the Silverstone circuit in the final minutes of FP2, as some drivers came out for a practice start on the intermediates. We may get wet weather tomorrow and on Sunday, so this was useful, particularly if the British Grand Prix will indeed take place in wet conditions.

Below is the final ranking.

Top ten from the second free practice session for the British Grand Prix:

1) Lando Norris, McLaren, 1:26.549

2) Oscar Piastri, McLaren, +0.331

3) Sergio Perez, Red Bull, +0.434

4) Nico Hulkenberg, Haas, +0.441

5) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, +0.601

6) Lewis Hamilton Mercedes, +0.653

7) Max Verstappen, Red Bull, +0.684

8) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari, +0.700

9) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin, +0.725

10) George Russell, Mercedes, +0.745