5 elements behind Ferrari's shock Silverstone turnaround
The Race • • sports
Key Points:
- Lewis Hamilton arrived at the British Grand Prix expecting Mercedes to struggle against Ferrari due to previous difficulties and Ferrari's power unit deployment issues, but was surprised by Ferrari's improved performance at Silverstone.
- Ferrari's power unit performance was compromised in Austria by altitude and heat, but cooler temperatures and lower altitude at Silverstone allowed the full benefits of their recent upgrade to show, narrowing the gap to Mercedes.
- Mercedes struggled with car setup and stability in gusty conditions during sprint qualifying, while Ferrari's well-settled chassis and better energy management through corners gave them an advantage on lap times.
- Tire temperature management was a key challenge at Silverstone, with Ferrari successfully running slightly warmer tires than rivals, aiding their grip and performance on Pirelli’s hardest compounds.
- Hamilton’s deep knowledge of Silverstone and strong home crowd support contributed to his pole position, as he maximized performance through key corners and demonstrated confidence and precision on a track he knows well.
