Lewis Hamilton pinpointed a crucial understeer moment at Silverstone’s Vale corner (Turn 16) as the difference between a potential pole position and his eventual fifth-place qualifying result for Sunday’s British Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver lost 0.203 seconds to pole-sitter Max Verstappen in the final sector alone, with his SF-24’s characteristic slow-corner weakness reappearing at the worst possible moment.
The Moment That Decided Qualifying
Hamilton’s fastest Q3 lap was tracking competitively until the closing stages:
- Sector 1: Matched Verstappen’s pace
- Sector 2: Gained time on the Red Bull
- Sector 3: Lost 0.25s through Vale corner understeer
“That lost me the time I had,” Hamilton lamented. “It probably cost me at least second place. The car’s been understeery in low-speed corners all year, and when you overdrive to find extra time, it bites you.”
Ferrari’s Persistent Challenge
The seven-time champion explained the technical dilemma:
- Inherent characteristic: SF-24’s tendency to understeer in slow corners
- Qualifying trade-off: Pushing beyond optimal limits creates performance drop-off
- Recent progress: Austrian GP floor upgrade helped but not enough for pole pace
Grid Implications
The tight midfield battle sees Hamilton start behind:
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 1:24.892
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – +0.103
- Lando Norris (McLaren) – +0.118
- George Russell (Mercedes) – +0.137
*Note: Antonelli (-3 places) and Bearman (-10 places) drop down the grid due to penalties*
Silverstone Optimism Remains
Despite the qualifying setback, Hamilton sees positives:
- Race pace: Ferrari’s long-run performance looked strong on Friday
- Upgrade potential: New floor working as intended
- Strategic opportunities: Changeable weather forecast could play to his advantage
“The car’s not quite there on pure pace yet,” Hamilton admitted, “but we’re making steps. Tomorrow’s another day, and at Silverstone, anything can happen.”
The 39-year-old will aim to become the first driver to win nine races at a single circuit, though he’ll need to overcome both the McLarens and Verstappen’s dominant Red Bull to do so from his fifth-place starting position.