Verstappen and Norris to face off again? British GP to be a thrilling 5-way fight

Having completed their race pace simulations, all drivers donning medium tyres, the pace forecast for the Grand Prix is in, and it bodes well for Red Bull Racing. Max Verstappen clocked in an average lap time of 1:32.019, making him the quickest driver race-pace-wise. The Dutchman is followed closely by Lando Norris with a 1:32.044 on average. Both drivers seem to be fairly matched with so, if Red Bull can fix their car's set-up over a lap it could indeed be a very exciting Grand Prix.

However, should the Austrians not nail the configuration of the rather unruly RB21, fans need fear not the absence of excitement as Ferrari with its last batch of upgrades and better understanding of their SF-25 has made their way back to the sharp-end of the grid. Charles Leclerc looks like the third candidate to opt for the win at Silverstone, clocking in an average 1:32.121.

Though it may not seem anything to write home about at first glance, he clocked in four more laps overall and his fastest lap during the race simulations was five tenths quicker than Norris' and six tenths than Verstappen's. The length of the stint and the pace consistency also puts Ferrari as a prime candidate for the win at the British Grand Prix. Hamilton's pace is nothing to sneeze at either, with the Briton trailing his teammate by around a tenth and a half.

Oscar Piastri did not get off to the best start to his British Grand Prix weekend. For the Australian there's still work to do if his MCL39 is to be on par with his teammate's. A crucial Grand Prix awaits the Aussie where his championship lead may evaporate to virtually nothing.

For the team led by Toto Wolff it is still a matter of fixing the issues that are hindering the overall performance, namely the rear tyre overheating, something they've been suffering from since the ground-effect regulations were re-introduced for the 2022 season and onward.

For Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell their best was simply not good enough to vy for the win, with both of then being 7 and 8 tenths off of the top drivers, Verstappen and Norris, and 4 and 5 tenths respectively from Piastri and Hamilton. Thus, a top 5 result, barring any bizarre ongoings during qualifying or the race itself, is the best the Brackley-based team can hope for.