Hamilton had one his best weekends in Austria
Lewis Hamilton‘s arrival at Ferrari in 2025 was seen as a perfect scenario for both parties: the former realising a childhood dream and the team uniting with the most successful driver as it sought to return to championship-conquering form.
From a sporting and marketing perspective it was, on paper, a winning combination. The story, however, has not unfolded in the way either of them had hoped for.
But this weekend’s British Grand Prix could be Hamilton’s best chance at a 2025 victory thanks to Ferrari’s latest upgrades, which are tailored for Silverstone’s high-speed layout, and his extraordinary record at the circuit.
The energy of the home crowd and his deep familiarity with the track often inspire peak performances from Hamilton, so the British venue could offer him the opportunity to score a 10th win.
The anticipated move to Ferrari has so far failed to deliver the fairytale start the team and driver expected, the seven-time world champion outperformed by team-mate Charles Leclerc on a regular basis as Hamilton has lacked confidence and pace behind the wheel of the SF-25.
The gap between the Briton and Leclerc has been stark on several races: at the Saudi Arabian GP, Hamilton finished 31 seconds behind Leclerc, describing the experience as “horrible” and admitting there was “no fix” in sight for his discomfort and lack of pace.
He has struggled with car balance, grip, and tyre degradation, and has been open about the “painful” process of adapting to Ferrari’s unique demands.
Despite a sprint win in Shanghai, consistent race pace and qualifying performance have eluded Hamilton, leaving him trailing in the championship and questioning his ability to extract performance from the car.
Can Hamilton score his 10th win at Silverstone?
Technical issues, such as brake problems in Austria, where he was actually closer to Leclerc, have further hampered his efforts.
Having often felt deflated at the end of the weekend, Hamilton was more optimistic at the Red Bull Ring after Ferrari emerged as McLaren‘s closest challenger after Max Verstappen, was eliminated on the opening lap.
“I think I’m slowly making progress, which is a real positive,” Hamilton said. “We’ve made progress as a team, which is really positive and it’s great for us to be the second-fastest team this weekend and to be so close to, I mean, we’re not a minute down, which is really positive.”
Hamilton admitted there is still progress to be made in terms of race trim, but was encouraged that his qualifying form was improving.
In Austria the Scuderia introduced updates which Hamilton felt wouldn’t make a significant impact, but he was surprised by the improvement.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have been working around Ferrari’s flawed 2025 F1 car for most of the season. Upgrades arriving over the next two races could finally see them in the fight for regular race wins
Ferrari still has parts to come, designed before it switched focus to the 2026 car, and at Silverstone it’s expected to continue with the development push by introducing a revised rear suspension. It hopes — in combination with the Austrian GP floor upgrade — this will allow it to run the car closer to the ground, something that the team has struggled with all year long.
It could be the boost Ferrari needs to unlock more of the car’s aerodynamic potential.
Silverstone’s fast, bumpy layout – where rear stability is crucial – will be a litmus test in the Maranello squad’s hopes of standing a chance of winning races this season.
As team boss Fred Vasseur pointed out after Austria, Ferrari needs more than just upgrades, and must start executing the races better and without mistakes in order to maximise the potential of the car.
Going into the Silverstone weekend, the combination of significant Ferrari upgrades and Hamilton’s unmatched record at his home circuit could make this weekend a pivotal moment in his season.
Arguably, the British GP represents Hamilton’s best shot yet at salvaging his year.
Hamilton has always managed to find a way to perform strongly at Silverstone, even amid tough seasons like in 2024, when he pretty much came out of nowhere to win for Mercedes.
Nine British GP wins – the most by any driver at a single venue – underscore Hamilton’s mastery of Silverstone.
His victories have come in all conditions, from torrential rain in 2008 to a dramatic three-wheeled finish in 2020, and his most recent triumph last year ended a long winless drought.
Hamilton has won at Silverstone even on three wheels
Grand Prix Photo
Silverstone’s fast, flowing corners – not to mention the home support – play to Hamilton’s strengths, and if Ferrari’s upgrades can deliver, the British GP could finally provide the platform he needs to challenge for victory again.
“Winning the British Grand Prix is the best thing ever,” Hamilton said of the race. “It’s the support, it’s the energy, it’s the atmosphere, it’s the track. It’s a combination of all those things that make it such a special weekend for me every year.”
Hamilton’s British GP results
| Year | Team | Grid | Race |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | McLaren | 1 | 3 |
| 2008 | McLaren | 4 | 1 |
| 2009 | McLaren | 19 | 16 |
| 2010 | McLaren | 4 | 2 |
| 2011 | McLaren | 10 | 4 |
| 2012 | McLaren | 8 | 8 |
| 2013 | Mercedes | 1 | 4 |
| 2014 | Mercedes | 6 | 1 |
| 2015 | Mercedes | 1 | 1 |
| 2016 | Mercedes | 1 | 1 |
| 2017 | Mercedes | 1 | 1 |
| 2018 | Mercedes | 1 | 2 |
| 2019 | Mercedes | 2 | 1 |
| 2020 | Mercedes | 1 | 1 |
| 2020 | Mercedes | 2 | 2 |
| 2021 | Mercedes | 2 | 1 |
| 2022 | Mercedes | 5 | 3 |
| 2023 | Mercedes | 7 | 3 |
| 2024 | Mercedes | 2 | 1 |
