Lewis Hamilton at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. © ANSA / PETER POWELL

Ferrari is breathing down McLaren's neck at Silverstone

Formula 1 makes a stop at Silverstone this weekend. Ferrari already got close to the frontrunners on Friday.

July 04, 2025

From: apa

Lando Norris set the fastest time in practice ahead of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on Friday. The British McLaren driver was clearly faster in the second free practice session than the resurgent Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc (+0,222 seconds) and Lewis Hamilton (+0,301). The record Formula 1 world champion had previously set the fastest lap in the first session. Defending champion Max Verstappen finished fifth (+0,498) in the Red Bull.

World Championship leader Oscar Piastri finished fourth in his McLaren (+0,470). Local hero Norris, second in the first practice session, thus confirmed his role as favorite for Sunday's Grand Prix (16.00:20 p.m.). The probability of rain at Silverstone increases this weekend, with temperatures set to hover around XNUMX degrees Celsius.

Lindblad made his debut in the Red Bull

In the first session, 17-year-old Briton Arvid Lindblad was in the second Red Bull car driven by Yuki Tsunoda and finished 14th. The teenager with Swedish-Indian roots is now only the second driver in history under the age of 18 to take part in a Formula 1 weekend. The other is four-time world champion Verstappen, who made his racing debut in 2015 at the age of 17. "I just want to thank everyone for the opportunity. It was incredible," said Lindblad. The Briton was racing with an exemption from the FIA, which had set 1 as the lower age limit following Verstappen's arrival in Formula 18.

Arvid Lindblad celebrated his F1 debut. © APA/afp / BEN STANSALL

Hamilton has set a record nine wins at Silverstone, including one he won last year. This closed a gap of 56 races, or 945 days, between two victories. But this season, he has gone 13 races without a podium finish, the longest drought of his entire Formula 1 career. Until now, Hamilton has always driven at Silverstone with British teams, first with McLaren and then with Mercedes. "Driving a Ferrari here for the first time will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience," the Briton said before practice.