Mercedes executive reacts to Lewis Hamilton’s surprise Sprint pole as Ferrari exceeds expectations at Silverstone
Ferrari’s remarkable turnaround at Silverstone continued to dominate the conversation after Lewis Hamilton claimed Sprint pole for the British Grand Prix, with even Mercedes admitting that the Scuderia had performed far better than many had anticipated before the weekend.
One of the most interesting reactions came from Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord, who acknowledged Lewis Hamilton’s vast experience both inside and outside the cockpit after the seven-time world champion secured an impressive pole position in front of his home fans.
The result represented another encouraging milestone for Ferrari, which arrived at Silverstone expecting one of its most challenging weekends of the 2026 Formula 1 season because of concerns over its straight-line speed and power unit performance. Instead, the SF-26 emerged as one of the fastest cars throughout Friday’s running.
Lewis Hamilton delivered when it mattered most
The signs had already been visible during the weekend’s only free practice session, where Lewis Hamilton finished fastest ahead of Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc.
Despite pre-weekend predictions suggesting Ferrari would struggle on a circuit traditionally favouring strong power unit performance, the Italian team quickly demonstrated that recent upgrades and improvements in energy deployment had significantly reduced the expected disadvantage.
Lewis Hamilton carried that momentum into Sprint Qualifying, leading both SQ1 and SQ2 before producing another outstanding lap in the decisive final session.
His best effort of 1:28.376 proved just enough to secure Sprint pole position, beating Andrea Kimi Antonelli by only 0.011 seconds. Max Verstappen completed the top three, while Charles Leclerc qualified fourth after falling short of matching his teammate’s pace.
The result underlined Ferrari’s growing competitiveness and reinforced the belief that the SF-26 has taken an important step forward compared to its performances earlier in the season.
Bradley Lord acknowledges Lewis Hamilton’s experience
Following Sprint Qualifying, Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord reflected on Ferrari’s unexpectedly strong showing during an interview with Sky Sports F1 reporter Ted Kravitz.
Earlier in the week, Lewis Hamilton had repeatedly suggested Ferrari could struggle at Silverstone because of the SF-26’s apparent deficit in straight-line speed compared to Mercedes and Red Bull. Those comments appeared entirely reasonable based on Ferrari’s previous performances, particularly in Austria.
However, Friday’s qualifying sessions painted a very different picture, with Ferrari proving fully capable of fighting for pole position despite the circuit’s demanding characteristics.
Asked about Lewis Hamilton’s earlier predictions, Bradley Lord suggested that the Ferrari driver knew exactly how to manage expectations heading into the weekend. He described Lewis Hamilton as a highly experienced and intelligent competitor who understands how to approach both the media and the competitive battle surrounding a Formula 1 race weekend.
Bradley Lord also admitted that Ferrari’s straight-line performance had been considerably stronger than many expected, acknowledging that the SF-26 looked highly competitive throughout the qualifying sessions and clearly remained in contention with Mercedes over the entire lap.
Contrasting fortunes inside Mercedes
While Andrea Kimi Antonelli narrowly missed out on Sprint pole by the smallest of margins, the other side of the Mercedes garage experienced a far more frustrating afternoon.
George Russell arrived at Silverstone full of confidence after securing victory at the Austrian Grand Prix, hoping to continue his strong run of form with another standout performance in front of the British crowd.
Instead, George Russell was forced to settle for fifth place on the Sprint grid after struggling to match the pace shown by Lewis Hamilton, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc during the decisive stages of qualifying.
The differing performances of Mercedes’ two drivers highlighted just how competitive the battle at the front has become. Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull all appear capable of fighting for victories depending on the characteristics of each circuit and the effectiveness of their respective energy management strategies.
Ferrari sends an important message to its rivals
Perhaps the biggest story to emerge from Friday at Silverstone was not simply Lewis Hamilton’s Sprint pole, but the fact that Ferrari achieved it at a circuit many believed would expose one of the team’s greatest weaknesses.
The SF-26 demonstrated impressive straight-line speed while also maintaining the strong aerodynamic efficiency required through Silverstone’s famous high-speed corners. Combined with improved energy deployment, Ferrari’s package looked considerably more complete than many rivals had anticipated before the weekend.
For Lewis Hamilton, securing Sprint pole in front of his home supporters represented another significant moment in his first full campaign with Ferrari. For Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, the challenge remains to unlock the same level of confidence with the SF-26 that has allowed his teammate to consistently extract the maximum from the car.
With the margins separating Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull measured in hundredths rather than tenths, the remainder of the British Grand Prix weekend promises to deliver one of the closest and most unpredictable battles of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
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