The British Grand Prix saw the top three teams in Formula 1 fluctuate in speed, leaving many puzzled as to how Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes managed to win.
It was rather unexpected when Mercedes took the lead at Silverstone after a season in which Red Bull dominated early on and McLaren emerged later on with what many consider to be F1’s fastest car.
Even more perplexing than Mercedes’ victory was how the various cars’ speeds changed during the grand prix, with McLaren, Red Bull, and the German manufacturer all dominating at different points as the rain started and then stopped.
According to Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal: “It was a very weird race.”
He then on, “I think they would be doing very well if they could explain the Mercedes’s pace—it seemed to move around.”
“The Mercedes appeared to be in control of the situation and has always been strong in cooler weather.
“As the rain began to fall, Lewis really came to life and overtook both of us in the McLaren. Thus, it was shifting in accordance with the circumstances.
“Max should have then really come alive as well, given the circumstances, but he was having trouble at that point.
“Then, as the circuit started to dry out, the pace arrived back and we were at times six, seven-tenths a lap quicker than Lewis and Lando [Norris].”
In an attempt to better understand the performance factors at work, engineers will now be scouring the race data, but Horner has his own hypothesis about what was driving the situation.
“Tires, in my opinion, are the main factor.” “I believe that the tire’s performance is contingent upon specific conditions, such as temperature.
“Different cars are working the tyres in different ways, and you saw an extremity of that as the circuit went from damp to wet and back to dry.”
This is an explanation that his rivals also think accounts for the cars’ considerable pace fluctuation throughout the race.
“We were really controlling the pace at the beginning, and it was very encouraging,” Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff remarked.
“After that, it began to rain, and the incredible McLaren show was seen. All they were in was the tire’s sweet spot.
“But we returned. And then, I believe, we got it under control in other circumstances.”
Given that McLaren is coming off a run of races in which its MCL38 has been hailed as the best car on the field, the performance of the top three teams at Silverstone was of interest to the squad.
In fact, Andrea Stella, the team manager, believes that the British GP may have signaled a shift in the leadership.
Although there’s a misconception that McLaren has the greatest vehicle, I believe we utilize it well.” stated Stella.
“I want to highlight how well the car’s preparation team worked. When we attend practice sessions, the car runs smoothly. and we build well during the weekend.
“But we saw [at the British GP] that it is not always that we have the fastest car. Because, Mercedes, during the first stint, things were rather normal, they were going!
It is among the advantages. The way the team is working together is excellent, and competing for the top spots merely makes it obvious when there is still work to be done.”