Lewis Hamilton made an eye-catching start to the 2026 British Grand Prix weekend by setting the fastest time in the opening and only free practice session at Silverstone, immediately raising hopes among Ferrari supporters that the seven-time Formula 1 world champion could be a genuine contender throughout the weekend.
While topping the timesheets in front of his home crowd was an encouraging result in itself, one statistic stood out more than any other: Lewis Hamilton finished almost six tenths of a second ahead of Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc, a sizeable margin that sparked plenty of discussion among pundits and fans alike.
Lewis Hamilton posted a best lap of 1:29.260 to finish the session ahead of Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, while Charles Leclerc completed the top three after recording a 1:29.859. George Russell and Oscar Piastri rounded out the top five, with defending Silverstone winner Lando Norris ending the session down in seventh position.
Jenson Button sees more than just driver performance
During Sky Sports F1’s live coverage, 2009 Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button analysed Ferrari’s performance and suggested that Lewis Hamilton’s sizeable advantage over Charles Leclerc could not necessarily be explained by driving ability alone.
The former McLaren driver noted that the Briton looked exceptionally comfortable throughout the lap, consistently delivering clean, precise cornering on one of the fastest and most technically demanding circuits on the Formula 1 calendar. However, Jenson Button also suggested there may have been differences in how Ferrari managed the car’s energy deployment during the session, potentially contributing to the gap between its two drivers.
According to Jenson Button’s analysis, Lewis Hamilton appeared to be extracting everything from the SF-26, putting together an almost flawless lap while maximising performance through Silverstone’s high-speed corners. At the same time, he felt that differing deployment strategies may also have influenced the final lap times, making direct comparisons less straightforward during a practice session.
The former world champion also reflected on how different the current generation of Formula 1 machinery is compared to last season, recalling that previous cars behaved in a far less forgiving manner, often producing sudden oversteer without warning.
Silverstone continues to bring out the best in Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton’s outstanding pace at Silverstone should perhaps come as little surprise given his remarkable history at the Northamptonshire circuit. Few drivers in Formula 1 history have enjoyed such a strong connection with a single venue.
The Ferrari driver has already claimed nine British Grand Prix victories, more than any other driver has managed at any circuit in Formula 1 history. Over the years, Silverstone has repeatedly provided Lewis Hamilton with some of the defining moments of his career, making it one of his most successful and emotionally significant tracks.
That record, combined with the confidence generated by racing in front of thousands of passionate British supporters, often allows Lewis Hamilton to extract an extra level of performance that few competitors can consistently match.
Anthony Davidson highlights the home advantage
Former Formula 1 driver Anthony Davidson also examined Lewis Hamilton’s impressive opening practice lap and pointed to the unique relationship between the Ferrari driver and the Silverstone crowd.
Anthony Davidson believes Lewis Hamilton is one of the few drivers capable of genuinely feeding off the energy generated by his home supporters. Rather than simply enjoying the atmosphere, the British driver appears able to transform that emotional boost into additional on-track performance.
According to Anthony Davidson, Silverstone’s layout is also perfectly suited to the seven-time world champion’s natural driving style. The circuit’s sequence of fast, flowing corners has always played to his strengths, allowing him to carry exceptional speed through high-speed changes of direction while maintaining remarkable precision.
Combined with the confidence that comes from years of success at the venue, those characteristics help explain why Lewis Hamilton has repeatedly delivered some of his finest Formula 1 performances at the British Grand Prix.
Charles Leclerc searching for stronger Silverstone form
Although Ferrari showed encouraging pace during the opening practice session, Charles Leclerc will be hoping to reverse a difficult recent record at Silverstone.
The Monegasque driver has found the British Grand Prix challenging in recent years, finishing only 14th in both the 2024 and 2025 editions of the race after crossing the line in ninth place in 2023. Charles Leclerc’s strongest Silverstone result remains the runner-up finish he achieved during the 2021 British Grand Prix.
With Sprint Qualifying and the remainder of the weekend still to come, the sizeable gap between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in FP1 may ultimately prove to have been influenced by different run plans and technical settings. Nevertheless, Lewis Hamilton’s performance has undoubtedly boosted confidence inside Ferrari, while also reinforcing the view that Silverstone remains one of the circuits where the seven-time world champion is capable of producing something special.
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