McLaren staff principal Andrea Stella believes Ferrari’s newest upgrades will add lasting intrigue into the System 1 championship battle, even when it couldn’t convert its newfound efficiency right into a British Grand Prix pole.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc had been robust all through the weekend, having set the tempo in FP1, FP3 and Q2, just for each Ferrari drivers to fall brief within the high 10 shootout on Saturday – Hamilton fifth and Leclerc sixth at Silverstone.
As a substitute, a shocking last-gasp lap from reigning world champion Max Verstappen noticed the Crimson Bull declare pole forward of the McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris respectively.
This comes after a substantial ground improve for the Scuderia, and Stella believes Ferrari, which is but to win a grand prix this yr, has proven sufficient enhancements to doubtlessly struggle on the entrance for the remainder of 2025.
“Undoubtedly I’ve to say that trying on the lap instances that Ferrari have been in a position to pull off in each single session, Ferrari appear to be the strongest staff, in all probability they nonetheless are the strongest staff,” mentioned Stella, when requested if his championship-leading outfit was anticipating a problem from Ferrari somewhat than Verstappen.
“The gaps are very small and Max additionally went out for the ultimate lap in Q3 comparatively a couple of minutes later or a minute later, and right here there might be slight variation of wind that may have an effect on one tenth right here and there so the whole lot may be very tight. Tough to say which one was the strongest staff, however Ferrari undoubtedly appeared like essentially the most aggressive.
“Even when we have a look at Q2 I feel they had been P1, P2 fairly convincingly on the time, so it appears to be like just like the upgrades that they’ve taken to Austria appear to have labored very properly, which makes the Silverstone grand prix not solely fascinating due to how tight the scenario is on the entrance of the grid, however I might say additionally fascinating for the reminder of the championship, particularly with Ferrari.”
Andrea Stella, McLaren
Picture by: Bryn Lennon / System 1 / Getty Photographs
If Stella is right, Ferrari may once more be McLaren’s closest rival for the constructors’ title, having completed second to the Papaya outfit final season – a yr which noticed Verstappen declare his fourth consecutive drivers’ crown, regardless of Crimson Bull being outpaced for a lot of the second half of the marketing campaign.
The Dutchman once more rained on the parades of each McLaren and Ferrari by storming to a shock Silverstone pole – however Stella was not stunned by such an eye catching lap from him.
“The explanation why we by no means rule out Max is as a result of he’s Max Verstappen, and it might be extraordinarily naive to assume that Max will not be within the recreation,” mentioned Stella.
“I feel he gave one other little bit of proof in the present day of how fast he’s, how succesful he’s of maximising the potential that he has obtainable.
“We additionally know that in these form of tracks the place we’ve got high-speed, clean circuits, Crimson Bull can do very properly, so no shock with Max, no shock with Crimson Bull.
“It appears to be like like a deserved pole place and it appears to be like like Max, primarily based on the lap instances he may do on Friday that had been aggressive in excessive gasoline, is a really severe candidate to win the British Grand Prix.”
The British Grand Prix begins at 3pm BST on Sunday, with McLaren trying to prolong its 207-point lead within the constructors’ standings with each its racers vying for the drivers’ crown.
Photographs from British GP – Follow & Qualifying
On this article
Mark Mann-Bryans
System 1
Ferrari
McLaren
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