Lewis Hamilton Reveals Mercedes' Struggles During Silverstone Practice – Can They Turn It Around?

It was an uncharacteristically subdued start to the British Grand Prix weekend for the Mercedes team at Silverstone, a track that typically resonates with the dominance of local hero Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time world champion and his teammate George Russell closed the first day of practice with sixth and tenth positions, respectively. While the performance may not seem overly alarming at first glance, a deeper dive into Friday’s results reveals that the Silver Arrows were more than half a second off the pace, a troubling gap for a team aiming for the front row.

Fresh off a morale-boosting victory in Austria, where Russell brilliantly capitalized on the clashes between Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris, the Mercedes team had higher hopes for Silverstone. However, both drivers and fans found themselves grappling with the uncomfortable reality that the current pace was lacking. Notably, the McLarens appeared particularly rapid out of the gate, leaving Mercedes in the dust.

Speaking about his car’s performance, Hamilton admitted, “It felt fine. It generally felt good, just not as fast as the guys ahead, like the McLarens.” When pressed on the specifics, Hamilton hinted at the small tweaks and adjustments being made, rather than significant upgrades. “Every time we add something to the car, we're heading in the right direction, but our rivals are bringing upgrades simultaneously. We were six-and-a-half tenths off in that one. I’m not sure it’s exactly six-tenths, but we've got some work to do,” he said, signaling a weekend of intense analysis and strategic recalibration.

A Mixed Bag for Russell

George Russell’s reflections on the day were a study in contrasts. He described his morning session as