Hamilton Eyes Podium Despite P5 Qualifying at British Grand Prix

SILVERSTONE, England — Lewis Hamilton took a positive approach after qualifying fifth for the British Grand Prix on Saturday, July 8. The seven-time world champion missed a chance for a front-row start but remained hopeful for a podium finish during the race.

Hamilton previously indicated strong pace this weekend, having been fastest in the opening practice session. He further built on this momentum by setting the fastest time during Q2, thrilling his fans at Silverstone. In Q3, Hamilton initially clocked P2 on his first lap but couldn’t improve his time on a second attempt.

“The lap was pretty decent at the end, and then I lost a bit of time in the last corner, which probably would have put me on the front row or at least third,” Hamilton said. The 40-year-old driver felt he maximized the car’s potential, reflecting on his performance positively. “Other than that, I squeezed everything I could out of the car,” he remarked.

Despite his P5 placement on the grid, Hamilton expressed an eagerness to capitalize on any opportunity for success. “Of course, I’ll dream of it tonight and I’ll try and execute tomorrow. I think the weather’s going to be interesting; I’d imagine it’s dry probably for the race, but it would be cool if it’s drizzling,” he explained.

His teammate Charles Leclerc also experienced qualifying challenges, finishing in P6. He stated, “Yeah, horrible. Nothing really to say; I think the pace was there for the front row but I eventually didn’t do the job when I needed to.” Leclerc acknowledged his struggles and remained focused on the race ahead, where he hopes to perform better.

Hamilton remains a fan favorite, and despite starting from P5, he aims to leverage his experience and compete for the podium when the race takes place on Sunday.