If you ever needed a reminder that Formula 1 is as much about theatre as it is about engineering, Silverstone’s 2025 FP2 session delivered it with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. The home crowd roared for Lando Norris, Ferrari’s scarlet red shimmered in the sun, and Max Verstappen’s Red Bull looked about as comfortable as a cat in a bathtub. In a session that had everything but a British downpour (don’t worry, that’s forecast for tomorrow), the storylines wrote themselves—though, as ever, the real drama lurked beneath the surface.
The Norris Effect: Home Hero, Home Pressure
Lando Norris, the man with a grandstand named after him and a nation’s hopes on his shoulders, topped the timesheets with a blistering 1:25.816. It was a lap that not only put him nearly a quarter of a second clear of Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari, but also faster than last year’s pole. The McLaren, resplendent in its chrome livery, looked glued to the tarmac—at least when Norris was at the wheel.
Norris’s performance was more than just a fast lap; it was a statement. The British crowd, starved of a home winner since Hamilton’s last Silverstone triumph, responded in kind.
It’s incredible, I would look at every lap, every single lap, I mean, it’s hard to miss. So every lap I’m forced to look at it, but it’s also just a great thing to see, and if it’s distracting me, it’s distracting others, so it’s working perfectly, so keep it up.
Lando Norris
But if history teaches us anything, it’s that topping FP2 at Silverstone is no guarantee of Sunday glory. Lewis Hamilton, the only British driver since 1980 to consistently convert FP2 dominance into home wins, has done so at least six times. For Norris, the challenge is not just speed, but the weight of expectation—a burden that has crushed many before him.
Let’s wait for the third race before calling anyone a legend.
Pedro Velazquez
Ferrari’s Scarlet Surge: Hamilton and Leclerc in the Hunt
If you’d told me a decade ago that Lewis Hamilton would be hunting for British GP glory in a Ferrari, I’d have asked what you were drinking. Yet here we are: Hamilton, in red, third fastest and just three tenths off Norris, with Leclerc splitting the pair. The Tifosi may be thousands of miles away, but the British crowd’s affection for Hamilton is undimmed.
Hamilton’s session was not without drama. After topping FP1, he looked poised, confident, and—dare I say it—hungry. Leclerc, meanwhile, was less than thrilled with his car’s balance but still found the pace to slot into P2. Ferrari’s updated floor appears to be working, and the intra-team battle is simmering nicely.
The Soft [tyre] was a very strong lap. But yeah, me being me, but I think also just in general, the Ferraris have been very, very quick today, and they shall be tomorrow, so I think we have a bit of work to do, to be honest.
Lando Norris
For Ferrari, Silverstone has always been a circuit of extremes—glorious victories (Alonso in 2011, Schumacher in 2002) and painful defeats. Their FP2 pace is promising, but as history shows, it’s the race that counts.
McLaren vs. Ferrari: The Battle Lines Are Drawn
Oscar Piastri, championship leader by 15 points, was solid if unspectacular in P4. The Australian admitted his Soft tyre run was “a little bit messy,” but the potential is there. The McLaren-Ferrari duel is shaping up to be the story of the weekend, with both teams showing strong long-run pace.
The surprise, perhaps, is just how close Ferrari is. McLaren had been in a league of its own in Austria, but Silverstone’s high-speed corners and gusty winds have brought the Scuderia back into play.
It looked maybe a bit too good today. Like always, Ferrari always catch up [heading] into FP3, like they did last weekend.
Lando Norris
Red Bull’s Blues: Verstappen Struggles, Again
If you’re a Red Bull fan, you might want to look away now. Max Verstappen, usually the metronome of consistency, was fifth fastest—almost half a second off Norris and visibly uncomfortable in the RB21. Understeer plagued his session, and the Dutchman’s radio was a symphony of frustration:
Have you seen my front tyres in the high speed? They just don’t respond!
Max Verstappen
Red Bull’s struggles are not new this season, but seeing Verstappen languish in the midfield at Silverstone is a statistical anomaly. Historically, any session not led by Red Bull or Mercedes in the hybrid era is notable; today, it was glaring. Team insiders are promising overnight changes, but the reigning champions are on the back foot.
Williams: Sainz Spins, Bortoleto Impresses
Carlos Sainz’s move to Williams was always going to be a gamble, and today’s FP2 session encapsulated the highs and lows of that decision. Sainz spun at Turn 7, narrowly missing Hamilton and Hulkenberg, and was subsequently handed a warning by the stewards for an unsafe rejoin. The incident was classic Silverstone—gusty winds, unpredictable grip, and a driver pushing just a fraction too hard.
The driver informed us that he was not able to look to the right because of the FHR device and the height of the headrest. He also said that he misjudged where exactly he was on the track and expected cars to have space to pass behind him.
FIA Stewards’ Report
Yet, once Sainz found his rhythm, Williams looked genuinely competitive on long runs. Gabriel Bortoleto, fresh from a strong Austria weekend, impressed again with consistency and pace. For a team with a storied Silverstone history—think back to the FW07’s dominance in the early 1980s—this was a session to remember.
Midfield Mayhem: Racing Bulls and Aston Martin Surprise
The Racing Bulls duo of Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson were the surprise package of FP2, finishing ninth and tenth respectively. Hadjar even climbed as high as P3 at one point, a testament to the team’s competitive package and perhaps a nod to Silverstone’s penchant for throwing up midfield surprises.
Lance Stroll, benefitting from long-awaited Aston Martin upgrades, ended up a respectable P7—comfortably ahead of Fernando Alonso. The Canadian’s performance suggests progress in green, though as ever, the proof will be in qualifying.
Mercedes: Cooling Off, Waiting for Rain
Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell found themselves in the unfamiliar territory of the lower top ten. Antonelli showed flashes of brilliance, briefly topping the timesheets before the soft-tyre runs, but ultimately finished P6. Russell was just behind in P8. With no more major upgrades coming this season, Mercedes is relying on setup, execution, and a bit of Silverstone luck.
Toto Wolff, never one to sugarcoat, hinted that cooler conditions and possible rain could shuffle the pack. If history is any guide, Mercedes thrives in chaos—just ask Hamilton, who has more wins at Silverstone than anyone in the modern era.
Alpine and Tsunoda: A Session to Forget
For Alpine, FP2 was a disaster. Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly anchored the bottom of the timesheets, and with Silverstone’s power demands, Sunday looks bleak. Yuki Tsunoda, back in the Red Bull after Ollie Lindblad’s FP1 appearance, looked rusty and finished P15. The winds and unpredictable grip made for a tricky session, and confidence will be hard to rebuild.
Weather Watch: Rain on the Horizon
Silverstone wouldn’t be Silverstone without a weather subplot. Rain is in the forecast for Saturday, and if it arrives, all bets are off. Cooler conditions could help Mercedes and Red Bull, while McLaren and Ferrari will be hoping for a dry qualifying. FP3 starts at 11:30 local time, with qualifying at 15:00—set your alarms, and maybe keep an umbrella handy.
FP2 Standings: The Numbers Behind the Drama
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:25.816 | 26 |
| 2 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.222s | 29 |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.301s | 19 |
| 4 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.470s | 25 |
| 5 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.498s | 19 |
| 6 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.567s | 21 |
| 7 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +0.614s | 20 |
| 8 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.707s | 17 |
| 9 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | +0.708s | 21 |
| 10 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +0.808s | 21 |
| 11 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +1.024s | 21 |
| 12 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +1.060s | 26 |
| 13 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | +1.088s | 26 |
| 14 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | +1.125s | 27 |
| 15 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull | +1.164s | 26 |
| 16 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +1.343s | 21 |
| 17 | Nico Hülkenberg | Sauber | +1.349s | 26 |
| 18 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +1.358s | 18 |
| 19 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | +1.410s | 21 |
| 20 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +1.473s | 13 |
History Repeats, But Never the Same Way
If you’re looking for patterns, Silverstone is a cruel mistress. British drivers have topped FP2 before—Hamilton most notably—and sometimes converted it into home wins. But for every Hamilton, there’s a Jean Alesi: fast on Friday, forgotten by Sunday. Ferrari and McLaren have both led FP2 at Silverstone in years past, but the correlation with race wins is tenuous at best.
What is certain is that Silverstone loves a surprise. Whether it’s a Williams resurgence, a Red Bull wobble, or a home hero rising to the occasion, the British Grand Prix remains the sport’s great leveller.
Back in my day, we had gear sticks, not marketing departments.
Pedro Velazquez
But even now, with all the data and simulation in the world, Silverstone finds a way to humble the best.
Waste a Bit More Time
If you’ve made it this far, you’re clearly as obsessed as I am. Here are a few ways to waste a bit more time before FP3:
- Read the full FP2 results and session report at F1i.com
- Dive into the session analysis and driver quotes at F1-Fansite
- For a blow-by-blow account, check out the live blog and updates at GrandPrix247
- For the full FIA stewards’ report on Sainz’s incident, see PlanetF1
- Watch the latest emotional highlights and analysis on YouTube: Lewis Hamilton Silverstone Onboard
- Relive Sainz’s spin and near-miss with Hamilton: Sainz has a spin and almost collides with Hamilton
And if you’re still not satisfied, well, there’s always the weather forecast to obsess over.
