Ferrari improve makes for “attention-grabbing” remainder of 2025 F1 season

McLaren staff principal Andrea Stella believes Ferrari's newest upgrades will add lasting intrigue into the Method 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 sturdy all through the weekend, having set the tempo in FP1, FP3 and Q2, just for each Ferrari drivers to fall quick within the high 10 shootout on Saturday – Hamilton fifth and Leclerc sixth at Silverstone.

As an alternative, a shocking last-gasp lap from reigning world champion Max Verstappen noticed the Pink 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.

“Positively I've to say that trying on the lap occasions that Ferrari have been in a position to pull off in each single session, Ferrari appear to be the strongest staff, most likely they nonetheless are the strongest staff,” mentioned Stella, when requested if his championship-leading outfit was anticipating a problem from Ferrari slightly 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 may very well be slight variation of wind that may have an effect on one tenth right here and there so all the things could be very tight. Tough to say which one was the strongest staff, however Ferrari positively appeared like probably the most aggressive.

“Even when we have a look at Q2 I believe they have 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 not solely the Silverstone grand prix attention-grabbing due to how tight the state of affairs is on the entrance of the grid, however I might say additionally attention-grabbing for the reminder of the championship, particularly with Ferrari.”

If Stella is right, it may see Ferrari 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 Pink 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 rationale 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 shouldn't be within the sport,” mentioned Stella.

“I believe he gave one other little bit of proof right this moment of how fast he's, how succesful he's of maximising the potential that he has obtainable.

“We additionally know that in these sort of tracks the place we've got excessive velocity, clean circuits, Pink Bull can do very properly so no shock with Max, no shock with Pink Bull.

“It appears to be like like a deserved pole place and it appears to be like like Max, primarily based on the lap occasions he may do on Friday that have been aggressive in excessive gas, it appears to be like like he's a really critical 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.