THE ULTIMATE TEST FOR THE TOP TEAMS

Races like this one — on complete circuits and under complex weather conditions — hold a special value: they mercilessly expose the true strengths and weaknesses of the cars. At Silverstone, with its mix of high-speed corners, slow sections, and intermittent rain, the track became the perfect testing ground to truly understand where McLaren, Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes stand today.

McLaren: MASTERS OF TECHNICAL BALANCE

McLaren reaffirmed what has been increasingly evident: the MCL39 is one of the most balanced and versatile cars on the grid. Even with a less-than-ideal setup, adapted to the unique demands of the circuit, it delivered impressive mechanical grip. The Woking team tends to favor relatively low-downforce aerodynamic configurations, minimizing time lost on the straights while maximizing traction and stability in the technical sections. McLaren’s true strength comes to light on complex tracks that feature both slow corners and high-speed stretches — think Jeddah, Barcelona, Melbourne, Spielberg. On these circuits, the McLaren excels in slow corners without falling behind in the fast sections, unlike cars with a more front-heavy balance. On more straightforward layouts — like Monza or Canada — where low-downforce setups are the default, McLaren’s advantage becomes far less pronounced.

Red Bull: BRILLIANCE ON THE EDGE

At Red Bull, once again, it's Max Verstappen carrying the entire project. But even he had to reckon with the limitations of the RB21 this weekend, made difficult by a setup that was far too extreme for the ever-changing conditions. With an unstable rear and little grip, Verstappen struggled to keep the car on track from the early laps. A mistake on the restart only added to an already complicated situation. Still, the clearest takeaway involves the team's technical philosophy: when Red Bull goes all-in with aggressive setups to maximize qualifying pace, Max can pull off the perfect lap. But come race day, when grip starts to fade — whether due to heat or humidity — tire degradation becomes a serious vulnerability.

Ferrari: BLISTERING SPEED, BUT ONLY HALFWAY

The SF-25 laid bare its extremes in brutal fashion: excellent through fast corners, but unwatchable in the slow ones. The race footage told the story: Hamilton lost time following Gasly in the final sector, struggled in the first, but clawed everything back from Copse to Stowe. In that section, the Ferrari flies — easily on par with, if not faster than, McLaren and Red Bull. The issue is just how much ground it loses in the slower parts. And under mixed conditions, that gap only widens. It’s likely the SF-25 was among the slowest in the final chicane. Hamilton did a great job managing such a twitchy, unpredictable car, pushing hard where he could to make up for weaknesses elsewhere. Without the off-track moment on his out lap after switching to slicks, he likely would’ve secured his first podium in red. Even so, it was a strong performance — especially when compared to Leclerc, who was never truly in the fight. If Lewis made mistakes, he did so while pushing. Charles didn’t even get to that point.

Mercedes: BALANCED BUT BLUNT

And finally, Mercedes — a car that performs decently across all types of corners but doesn’t shine anywhere in particular. The technical platform remains consistent with previous years and delivers average competitiveness throughout a race weekend. But it lacks a clear strength to capitalize on. At Silverstone, this translated into a solid race — consistent, reliable, but devoid of standout moments, whether in the fast or technical sections.

© Simone Marchetti Cavalieri

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