Lewis Hamilton predicts 'unprecedented' British Grand Prix before going fastest in practice

Silverstone hasn't changed a bit, but Lewis Hamilton is ready for a British Grand Prix on a “completely different track”.

With nine wins there, the most of any Formula 1 driver at a single track, Hamilton knows his home circuit inside out.

Ahead of this weekend's race, he outlined how the 2026-specification F1 cars will struggle with Silverstone's long straights and fast corners.

The Ferrari star predicts cars running at reduced speed with empty batteries, because they need heavy braking zones to recharge the electrical power that's crucial to how they operate.

“This is going to be the most unprecedented weekend in terms of the power deployment," he said Thursday. “All of us drivers have been talking on the drivers’ chat just how poor the power is going to be through this track. We run out of battery power.”

The fastest way round Silverstone now involves easing off the power to recharge in what would normally be some of the most exciting corners, Hamilton predicted, adding it could be a setback for him and Ferrari.

“Normally the engine’s screaming as you’re going into Copse, and you’re holding on for dear life as you go through there flat out. This year, the engine will be coasting down,” he said. “Maggotts and Becketts is just not going to feel the same because I think you have to lift and coast or something through there for a period of time. It’s just a completely different track.”

Even before Friday practice, drivers had spent plenty of time practicing for Silverstone on advanced simulators that mimic the behavior of the cars. Hamilton's comments line up with predictions by rival Max Verstappen, who said he “just started laughing” when he tried it out.

Despite the changes Lando Norris, who won a thrilling British Grand Prix on his way to the title last year, says F1 can still put on a good show.

“Actually, I think Sunday will be exciting. On the outside, I think it’ll be great," he said. "Certainly there’s going to be less challenges on the track itself comparing to what you’ve seen in the past few years.”

Hamilton fastest in practice

Despite predicting that the difficulties using electrical power at Silverstone would hold Ferrari back, Hamilton went fastest in Friday's sole practice session by .213 of a second from standings leader Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes.

Charles Leclerc was third fastest, more than half a second off Hamilton's time, with George Russell fourth in the second Mercedes.

Next up Friday is qualifying for Saturday's sprint race.

Home race curse

Racing at home has been bad luck in F1 recently. No driver has scored a point in his home race since Antonelli's ninth place at the Italian Grand Prix in September.

So far this year, Oscar Piastri failed to make the start in Australia and Charles Leclerc crashed out in Monaco, leaving 12th for Carlos Sainz, Jr. the best by any driver on home soil.

Where better for that streak to end than Britain? Besides Hamilton's nine wins, Norris is the defending champion and Russell's coming off victory in Austria last week.

To top it off, those three combined for the first all-British podium since 1968 at last month's Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing