Norris leads FP2 at Silverstone - Ferrari shows a good race pace
The passionate British crowd at Silverstone had plenty to cheer about as Friday's second practice session for the 2025 FORMULA 1 QATAR AIRWAYS BRITISH GRAND PRIX drew to a close. Local hero Lando Norris, piloting his special chrome-liveried McLaren, stormed to the top of the timesheets, setting a blistering pace that puts him firmly in contention for a home victory. The session, held under clear skies with a track temperature of 38°C, was a flurry of action, setting the stage for what promises to be a thrilling qualifying battle.
Norris and McLaren Set the Benchmark
Lando Norris delivered a statement lap midway through the session, lighting up the timing screens with purple sectors across the board. His time of 1:25.816 was a remarkable 0.222s clear of his nearest rival, leaving the competition with plenty to ponder overnight. McLaren, who looked strong in FP1, have seemingly found another gear at a track they were expected to perform well at.
While Norris soared, teammate Oscar Piastri settled for fourth place, almost half a second adrift. The Australian will be looking to close that gap to his on-form teammate as the weekend progresses. The session wasn't entirely smooth for Norris, who had a late lock-up into Village, flat-spotting his medium tyres, but the pace is undeniably there for the papaya team.
Ferrari Hot on McLaren's Heels
Ferrari confirmed the strong pace they showed in FP1, with Charles Leclerc finishing as the best of the rest in second place. The Monegasque driver improved on his second push lap on the soft tyres but was heard on the radio reporting an unusual feeling with the car's balance, suggesting the Scuderia has even more time to unlock.
The second Ferrari driver, Lewis Hamilton, also showed promising pace, ending the session in third, a further 0.079s behind Leclerc. After topping the morning session, Hamilton demonstrated that Ferrari's new floor upgrade is working well, keeping them squarely in the fight at the front. It was a more challenging session for Williams' Carlos Sainz, who had a dramatic spin after getting caught out by a gust of wind, fortunately avoiding contact with other cars. He finished the hour down in P16.
Questions for Red Bull as Midfield Surprises
In a surprising turn of events, Red Bull Racing appeared to struggle for pace. Max Verstappen could only manage P5, nearly half a second off Norris's benchmark, with the RB21 reportedly suffering from understeer. His teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, who sat out FP1, was further back in P15. The reigning champions have a history of finding performance overnight, and they'll need to work their magic again to challenge for pole on Saturday.
Mercedes showed solid, if not spectacular, pace with rookie Kimi Antonelli in P6 and George Russell in P8. The team will be hopeful that the forecast for cooler temperatures on Saturday could play into their hands.
Elsewhere, the Racing Bulls of Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson were mightily impressive, finishing ninth and tenth respectively and looking like genuine threats to the established top-four teams. Lance Stroll also put in a strong showing for Aston Martin, securing P7 after his car was fitted with the same upgrades Fernando Alonso (P12) ran in FP1.
British GP 2025 - FP2 Results
| Position | Driver | Team | Best Lap Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lando NORRIS | McLaren | 1:25.816 | |
| 2 | Charles LECLERC | Ferrari | 1:26.038 | +0.222s |
| 3 | Lewis HAMILTON | Ferrari | 1:26.117 | +0.301s |
| 4 | Oscar PIASTRI | McLaren | 1:26.286 | +0.470s |
| 5 | Max VERSTAPPEN | Red Bull Racing | 1:26.314 | +0.498s |
| 6 | Kimi ANTONELLI | Mercedes | 1:26.383 | +0.567s |
| 7 | Lance STROLL | Aston Martin | 1:26.430 | +0.614s |
| 8 | George RUSSELL | Mercedes | 1:26.523 | +0.707s |
| 9 | Isack HADJAR | Racing Bulls | 1:26.524 | +0.708s |
| 10 | Liam LAWSON | Racing Bulls | 1:26.624 | +0.808s |
| 11 | Alexander ALBON | Williams | 1:26.840 | +1.024s |
| 12 | Fernando ALONSO | Aston Martin | 1:26.876 | +1.060s |
| 13 | Gabriel BORTOLETO | Kick Sauber | 1:26.904 | +1.088s |
| 14 | Esteban OCON | Haas F1 Team | 1:26.941 | +1.125s |
| 15 | Yuki TSUNODA | Red Bull Racing | 1:26.980 | +1.164s |
| 16 | Carlos SAINZ | Williams | 1:27.159 | +1.343s |
| 17 | Nico HULKENBERG | Kick Sauber | 1:27.165 | +1.349s |
| 18 | Pierre GASLY | Alpine | 1:27.174 | +1.358s |
| 19 | Oliver BEARMAN | Haas F1 Team | 1:27.226 | +1.410s |
| 20 | Franco COLAPINTO | Alpine | 1:27.289 | +1.473s |
All eyes now turn to Saturday, with a tantalizing qualifying session on the horizon. The battle looks to be between McLaren and Ferrari, but with Red Bull lurking and the unpredictable British weather always a factor, pole position is anyone's game.