Silver Arrows back at the top
The British Grand Prix qualifying session seemed to rewind the clock for a moment. An all-Mercedes front row at Silverstone, with George Russell on pole position and Lewis Hamilton beside him in second place. The Silver Arrows had not been in this position since the São Paulo GP in 2022, and this one-two finish harks back to the team’s golden years, when dominating qualifying and race was the norm at Brackley, not the exception.

No regrets
However, the special focus of this front row, even more than the poleman, is Lewis Hamilton himself. In February, the seven-time world champion accepted Scuderia Ferrari’s offer, signing a contract with Maranello for the 2025 Formula 1 season, shaking up the F1 market. Now, though, the Reds are struggling while the Mercedes cars are back fighting with Red Bull and McLaren. The most successful driver in F1 history, however, is not inclined to regrets or second thoughts.

“Would I still have gone to Ferrari with this Mercedes? Yes,” he stated in the press conference, closing the door on any speculation. “Monopolizing the front row is fantastic for the team,” continued the #44, “it’s been a long time.” But the almost 40-year-old from Stevenage is hungry for victory and made it clear to his teammate: “I was more cautious with my setup, favoring balance for the race rather than for a single lap. For me, it was a calm session. Rain? It’s probably when I perform best,” he concluded.

George Russell’s joy
“This is one of the best feelings ever,” echoed George Russell, who dreams of repeating his success in Austria. “The car was amazing, it came to life. Both being on the front row was something we wouldn’t have thought of a few races ago. These conditions put the car in the perfect window. There are no guarantees for tomorrow, but the last time we had both cars on the front row was 2021 if not earlier (2022, editor’s note). The car was on rails. In Q3 I felt the most pressure ever in an F1 qualifying,” he admitted, “but as soon as I tackled the first two corners, I felt comfortable. The wind picked up on the last lap. It blew tailwind through turns 3-4 but gave us more downforce in 6-7. Not using the new softs in Q2 guaranteed us two sets for Q3 without sacrificing one for tomorrow. Race? The weather will play a big part. It will be a long race. The points are scored tomorrow, but we are in a good position to fight for the win,” he concluded.

Jul 7, 2024Scuderia Fans