Great Britain: The Outlook for the Race

A new display of strength from Lewis Hamilton?

In Budapest, nobody saw Lewis Hamilton again after the start. The Briton achieved a sparkling hat trick (pole, victory, and fastest lap in the race). It is known that Silverstone is also a circuit he particularly appreciates. His two laps in Q3 were significantly above the rest, more than three-tenths ahead of his teammate, with equal machinery. But Valtteri Bottas showed comfort during the free practice sessions. He will need to bring his A-game from the first meters to counter the forward march of his teammate and sole rival for the title, knowing that both will start on medium tires and thus have a similar strategy.

A podium for Racing Point?

Since the start of the season, Racing Point has been making headlines with its car heavily inspired by last year’s Mercedes. However, from a standings perspective, the team is only in fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship, one point behind McLaren. More importantly, the team has yet to be rewarded with a podium finish that seems within reach. Lance Stroll confirmed his strong start to the season during qualifying, but once again, he couldn’t extract the maximum from his car, as he had to settle for sixth place on the grid.

On the other hand, he benefits from an alternate tire strategy, starting on mediums. This almost backfired on him, and getting through to Q3 was a close call. For Nico Hülkenberg, it will be a matter of compensating for his 13th place on the grid to score significant points, essential for his personal future if he wants to confirm his return to the discipline.

A miracle for Ferrari?

On paper, Silverstone does not match the characteristics (we dare not speak of strengths) of the SF1000 at all, with its large curves that demand aerodynamics and chassis, as well as long straights that highlight powerful engines. Yet, once again, Charles Leclerc managed to stand out during qualifying, smoothly sliding into fourth place. This could raise some hopes of bringing back points, as he hasn’t been able to do so since his surprising second place in the first race of the season.

Points for Renault?

Renault is facing difficulties again at the start of this season, with only twelve points collected and recurring reliability issues. But at Silverstone, things went better, with both drivers managing to reach Q3. They will be eager to capitalize on this and remain in the top 10 at the end of the race to increase their points total and not let their direct competitors widen the gap in the standings.