P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The headline take from Silverstone Friday is that Ferrari, with its updated Austria floor, is very quick. Almost as quick as McLaren
The Ferrari showed great speed with its updated Austria floor during Friday’s practice sessions at the British Grand Prix, closely matching the pace of McLaren at Silverstone. This marked Ferrari’s strongest Friday this season, indicating positive progress before introducing its new rear suspension at Spa.
Despite Max Verstappen setting the fastest average in long run simulations, both Red Bull and Mercedes struggled to different extents. Lando Norris’ McLaren set the quickest single lap pace, slightly ahead of Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari.
Track temperatures starting at 40°C and only dropping to 38°C by the end of FP2 posed challenges, as cooler conditions are forecasted for qualifying and race day, potentially with light showers. Mercedes faced issues with overheating tires on the fast, long-corner circuit at Silverstone.
Verstappen’s performance on mediums was impressive, managing consistent lap times over seven laps despite the tricky balance of initial pace and tire temperatures on such a demanding track. McLaren and Ferrari approached their runs differently but showed promise for the race pace, with Ferrari working on optimizing their qualifying setup.
Overall, the Friday practice showcased competitive performances from Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull, indicating an exciting and closely contested British Grand Prix weekend ahead.
