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Surprised Hamilton: 'Ferrari Scared Me With Their Predictions'
Lewis Hamilton expressed astonishment at Ferrari's unexpected speed during sprint qualifying at Silverstone, after the Italian team had predicted a substantial deficit beforehand.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-07-03T17:52:54.000Z - 1 min read
Lewis Hamilton secured a surprising pole position yesterday for the sprint race at the British Grand Prix. Immediately after his flying lap at Silverstone, however, the Mercedes driver spoke mainly of his surprise at Ferrari's performance.
Ahead of the race weekend, the Italian squad carefully managed expectations. Both during Thursday's media day and after the sole practice session, they predicted a significant pace deficit.
Hamilton admitted that these predictions had even 'scared' him. Ferrari had estimated themselves to be as much as six-tenths of a second slower down the circuit's long straights.
However, the reality during sprint qualifying told a different story on the legendary British track. Ferrari displayed unexpected speed, far removed from the gloomy picture painted earlier.
Boasting no fewer than nine victories at this circuit, Hamilton knows better than anyone how the land lies. The final result of sprint qualifying spoke volumes about the true balance of power on track.