Lewis Hamilton shines at Silverstone and sets an ambitious target for Ferrari | F1 British GP. Lewis Hamilton impressed at Silverstone with strong pace and growing confidence in his Ferrari SF-25..

Lewis Hamilton has once again demonstrated his incredible connection with the Silverstone Circuit, a track where he has historically excelled throughout his Formula 1 career. Driving for Scuderia Ferrari in front of his home crowd, the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion showed strong form during Friday’s free practice sessions, sending a clear message about his ambitions for the remainder of the weekend and the season.

The chequered flag waved at the end of the first two practice sessions for the 2025 British Grand Prix, and both Scuderia Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton wrapped up one of their most promising Fridays of the season so far. The home hero appeared to be immediately at ease with the SF-25 car, showing competitive pace from his very first laps around the historic Silverstone circuit—where he has already secured an impressive nine Grand Prix victories over the course of his Formula 1 career.

The latest upgrades introduced on the SF-25 seem to suit Lewis Hamilton’s driving style particularly well. He had already made visible progress the previous weekend in Austria, and now at Silverstone, that upward trend continues. The confidence in his Ferrari machine is steadily growing, and there could hardly be a better place to confirm this progress than his home race. Although the team still needs to fine-tune some final technical details on both cars, the Maranello-based squad is preparing for a weekend spent fighting at the front of the field.

Lewis Hamilton’s first impressions after Friday practice

Following the completion of Free Practice 1 and Free Practice 2 at Silverstone, Lewis Hamilton shared his thoughts about the initial feeling with the car:
“It was a really good day overall. Amazing to see the crowd and to be driving a Ferrari around this track.” The warm welcome from the British fans, combined with the prestige of racing with Scuderia Ferrari at Silverstone, clearly had a positive impact on Hamilton’s morale heading into the rest of the weekend.

“Red Bull Racing and McLaren have brought new updates, but we’re still in the fight. Considering they’ve taken a step forward with their upgrades, it’s very encouraging that we remain competitive. I feel we can dream of a very strong weekend. However, putting everything together and achieving the best possible result is another story.”

The British driver emphasized his intent to maximize Ferrari’s performance:
“I’ll prepare myself as best as I can to reach the highest possible result. I’m making solid progress with the car and I feel much more comfortable in it. During FP2, we weren’t quite where we wanted to be, and I definitely struggled a bit more—but we know exactly what changes we need to make. Rain is a possibility for both Saturday and Sunday, and I’ll do everything I can to make sure we’re ready for it.”

Should it rain on race day, Ferrari could benefit from Lewis Hamilton’s renowned ability to read changing track conditions. His experience and racecraft in the wet have often made the difference in the past. However, in order to fully capitalize on his skillset, clear and effective communication between Hamilton and the Ferrari pit wall will be essential—an area that has not always been flawless this season.

Now all eyes turn to qualifying and the race to see what answers the Silverstone circuit will provide. Ferrari hopes that with Hamilton in top form and the SF-25 improving, they can turn potential into results.