Silverstone surprise: Charles Leclerc gives early thumbs-up to Ferrari’s setup in British GP practice. Charles Leclerc praises Ferrari’s SF-25 setup after Friday practice at Silverstone.

Charles Leclerc Already Endorses Silverstone Setup

Just two practice sessions were enough for Charles Leclerc to give a positive assessment of the Ferrari SF-25 at Silverstone. The latest updates introduced by the Scuderia seem to have made the 2025 Formula 1 car both more stable and significantly faster. The Maranello team has kicked off the British Grand Prix weekend on the right foot.

The first free practice session at the iconic Silverstone Circuit had already offered encouraging signs for Scuderia Ferrari. These promising impressions were then fully confirmed during Free Practice 2. At the end of Friday’s second hour of track activity, Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc did not hesitate to give his seal of approval to the setup adopted by the team. The direction taken by the Italian outfit for this high-speed British round appears to be a very solid one, and Leclerc expressed his satisfaction over the team radio to his race engineer, Bryan Bozzi.

From what emerged on track during Friday’s action, it is shaping up to be a head-to-head battle between McLaren and Ferrari. As expected, the McLaren team proved quick and consistent, but the Prancing Horse has emerged as a more formidable and perhaps unexpected challenger. While the upgrades introduced during the Austrian Grand Prix had already revealed a more energetic Ferrari, the performance displayed on Friday at Silverstone showed that the SF-25 is not only closing the gap to the Papaya-colored cars, but is also capable of challenging them directly.

Ferrari Competitive Also in Free Practice 2: Results from Silverstone

At the end of the first free practice session, it was Sir Lewis Hamilton who topped the timesheets in his home race, driving for Scuderia Ferrari. But in FP2, the Maranello squad continued to impress. Charles Leclerc finished the session in second place, with his team-mate Lewis Hamilton right behind in third. These results underline how Ferrari has begun the British Grand Prix weekend with strong momentum.

Charles Leclerc himself confirmed the positive sensations after completing his Friday duties at the wheel. The British-spec Ferrari SF-25 didn’t just deliver strong lap times—it also gave both drivers the confidence and feel they need to perform. The technical upgrades introduced in Austria and confirmed again here at Silverstone have clearly contributed to a car that is far more balanced and quicker than in previous outings.

Top 3 Results from Free Practice 2:
• Lando NORRIS, McLaren – 1:25.816
• Charles LECLERC, Ferrari – 1:26.038 (+0.222s)
• Lewis HAMILTON, Ferrari – 1:26.117 (+0.301s)

Leclerc Approves the Silverstone Setup: A Confident Team Radio Message
Once the second session concluded, Ferrari’s Monegasque driver wasted no time in sharing his thoughts with the pit wall. Speaking over the radio to his engineer, Charles Leclerc stated: “I think we need to maximise qualifying, but my setup for the race is definitely good.”

The waving of the chequered flag in FP2 marked the end of a solid day for Ferrari—especially on Charles Leclerc’s side of the garage. The SF-25 appeared comfortable and competitive in race trim. In particular, during the long-run simulations, the car proved consistent, despite a few slightly aggressive opening laps at the beginning of each stint.

The upcoming Free Practice 3 session on Saturday morning will be crucial for team principal Frédéric Vasseur’s squad to further refine the car’s balance ahead of the all-important qualifying session. What is already evident, however—and this should not be taken for granted—is that Ferrari’s foundation for the weekend looks both strong and genuinely competitive.: