Lewis Hamilton’s long-standing record of finishing on the podium at the British Grand Prix came to an end this year as the seven-time world champion ended the race in 4th place.
This was Hamilton’s first British Grand Prix with Ferrari, having made the switch from Mercedes this season.
Silverstone holds a special place in Hamilton’s career. The legendary driver had been on the podium at his home race for 11 years. However, a challenging Ferrari car and a tough pit strategy saw ,finishing just behind Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg. Hamilton started the race in 5th but dropped to 8th at one point due to pit strategy issues in the unpredictable British weather. He recovered to P4 by the end, but it wasn’t enough for a podium finish.
Speaking to the media post-race, Hamilton admitted the Ferrari wasn’t well-suited for Silverstone’s conditions.
“This car doesn’t like those conditions…It doesn’t like low-speed corners. There was understeer, and I started locking the left front. I just couldn’t keep up,” Hamilton said after the race.
He added that the race was one of his tougher ones, and while not his best, he was glad to take some points home. Hamilton also acknowledged that both he and the team made mistakes during the race.
“Difficult race. Not a great one from my side. I did the best I could…Not ideal, but at least we got some points…There were plenty of mistakes out there. The conditions were tricky and the car was very, very hard to drive here,” he added.
Ferrari’s pit strategy also came under scrutiny as it affected both drivers. Charles Leclerc, who started P6, finished 14th, while Hamilton, who had a strong shot at a podium, had to settle for 4th. Before the race,It was anticipated that Ferrari might struggle if the rain arrived and that played out clearly on Sunday. Hamilton was even seen going off the track while trying to close the gap to Hulkenberg, highlighting the car’s balance issues.
With Silverstone behind him, Hamilton and Ferrari will be looking to reset and improve ahead of the next race, the Belgian Grand Prix, which begins on July 25.