McLaren sees 'very strong’ Ferrari as biggest threat at Silverstone

McLaren Racing boss Zak Brown has singled out Ferrari as the primary threat to his team’s ambitions at this weekend’s British Grand Prix, following a strong showing from both teams on the opening day of practice at Silverstone.

With McLaren’s Lando Norris setting the fastest time in Friday’s second practice session, Brown’s comments underscored the tight competition expected at the iconic circuit.

Norris led the timesheets in FP2 with a blistering lap, finishing 0.2 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Lewis Hamilton, who was fastest in FP1, secured third, highlighting the Italian team’s impressive pace.

The Scuderia’s recent upgrades, including a revised floor introduced at the Austrian Grand Prix, appear to have bolstered their performance, with Leclerc coming off a podium finish in Austria despite finishing 20 seconds behind race winner Norris.

Highlighting Ferrari’s Strength

Speaking just ahead of FP2, Brown admitted to being impressed by Hamilton’s early pace in the opening session.

“That was a good lap. The Ferraris look very strong. Both over one lap and over race pace. A little bit early but it looks like Ferrari is the competition so far,” he said.

“Ferrari look very strong. They were very good in the first session. Both cars are strong. Race pace is good. They look very tough.”

Ferrari’s pace in both single-lap speed and long-run simulations suggests they could challenge McLaren for top honors on Sunday.

Meanwhile, reigning world champion Max Verstappen and Red Bull faced a less straightforward day. Verstappen ended FP2 in fifth, nearly half a second off Norris’ pace.

However, Verstappen’s long-run pace showed promise, aligning closely with McLaren and Ferrari.

Brown Cautious on Red Bull’s Potential

Despite Red Bull’s challenges on Friday, Brown remained wary of counting out Verstappen, who has a history of rebounding from difficult practice sessions.

“Every time Max looks like he’s struggling a bit he puts it together,” Brown noted. “It does look a bit tough for them for now but based on my experience you never rule Max Verstappen out.”

Read also:

• British GP: Norris takes charge in FP2 ahead of Leclerc

With Red Bull known for making significant overnight improvements, Verstappen remains a potential contender for pole position in Saturday’s qualifying.

However, based on Friday’s running, McLaren and Ferrari appear poised for a fierce battle at the front, with Brown clearly viewing the Scuderia as the team to beat at Silverstone.

But qualifying on Saturday will likely provide further clarity in what promises to be a thrilling home race for McLaren’s Norris and the British fans.

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