Formula 1 star says the Silverstone race at home has lost its ‘special feeling’ in the quieter battery-powered era.
When Lewis Hamilton took pole position in the Silverstone Sprint, one Formula 1 driver shared a pretty honest opinion about the British track, even as his team tries to improve their results at their home race.
Silverstone is a favorite for British drivers like Hamilton, George Russell, and Lando Norris—who’ve won nine of the last 12 races there. But it’s not just the drivers; home teams are working hard to get ahead too. Williams has started bringing in upgrades that will change their car, and Aston Martin is also making progress. Their star designer, Adrian Newey, mentioned they’re testing a new chassis and gearbox.
For Aston Martin, this season has been tough. With the race just a mile from their HQ, they’re currently tenth in the standings with only one point—just above the new team, Cadillac. But with both home teams eager for a turnaround, and Hamilton energizing the Silverstone crowd after his contract news, everyone is expecting an exciting British Grand Prix.
Or at least, that was the plan.
Lance Stroll, however, says the new rules for the battery-powered cars have taken away some of the “special feeling” of Silverstone. The normally fast track feels slower now because of these changes.
The new power rules have caused a stir among drivers and fans this year. The switch away from the old DRS system to battery-powered units has been controversial, and some well-known F1 personalities have been critical enough to trigger talks with the FIA about adjusting the power output.
But for now, the rules aren’t changing, and the power focus is still heavily on the batteries. That means tracks with long straights and fewer corners—like Silverstone—are slower, with fewer chances to recharge the power units.
After qualifying, Stroll said the track just doesn’t feel the same. “It’s less enjoyable for sure, with the energy management,” he told Sky Sports. “I think we’ve lost some of the special feeling of driving here at Silverstone. It’s not the same fast circuit we had before. It’s a shame.”
The lap times back up what Stroll says. Last year, Max Verstappen’s pole time was 1:24.892—about three and a half seconds faster than Hamilton’s 1:28.376 in this year’s Sprint.
Earlier this week, Hamilton also talked about how the power limits would have a big impact at Silverstone, especially because of the long straights.
“It’s not that I’m not confident,” Hamilton said. “But with the long straights, this is going to be one of the most unusual weekends when it comes to power use. All the drivers have been chatting about how challenging it will be to manage the battery. We’ll probably run out of power on the straights because there aren’t many corners to recharge. That will be where we struggle the most.”
Despite the slower speeds, the British Grand Prix promises an amazing battle, as Hamilton faces off against his old team, Mercedes—who even surprised their boss, Toto Wolff!