A new suspension is set to be introduced at either Silverstone this weekend or Spa the following weekend, and that should bring another boost in performance.
Ferrari has been weaker in qualifying than in races this year, so its Red Bull Ring results — Charles Leclerc second on the grid and Lewis Hamilton fourth — are also a sign of progress.
However, it’s not all good news, as not all the issues have been solved, with tyre degradation and a car that’s too sensitive to set-up changes still something Ferrari is working on.
Given the nature of the circuit, Silverstone is the perfect opportunity for Ferrari to confirm that its progress is genuine.
Can Williams bounce back?
Williams’ fall from grace over the past four races has been almost shocking to see after its incredible start to the season, in which he was comfortably ahead of the midfield pack and even mixing it up with the likes of Ferrari.
Sainz’s weekend ended up in flames in Austria
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Since Imola, the team from Grove has scored just four points, including two non-scores in Spain and Austria, the latter in the form of a double DNF and a nightmare weekend for Carlos Sainz, who couldn’t even take the start.
Williams is one of the teams that decided to stop development on its 2025 car early and focus on next year, a move that was always going to mean sacrificing results later on.
However, the slump has come much faster than expected, particularly as rivals have continued to improve. It might end up paying off in 2026 but, at the moment, Williams is looking like a struggler more than a challenger.
Without upgrades to fix its problems or improve its pace, the remainder of 2025 might be tricky for the team if its recent form is an actual reflection of its performance level.
Still, Silverstone should be more positive for Williams because, after all, how can it not be after the Austria disaster?
Is Sauber the new midfield leader?
As Williams has gone backwards, Sauber has emerged as one of the leading contenders in the midfield since it took a massive step forward thanks to its Spanish GP upgrades.
Sauber has even outscored Red Bull recently
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From being at the bottom of the grid all season, Sauber suddenly became a contender, with Nico Hülkenberg even beating a Ferrari on merit at Barcelona.
The team has now finished in the points in all the last three races, and has outscored not only all of its direct rivals, but also Red Bull.
At this rate, even Williams’ fifth place could be under threat if Sauber manages to keep this sort of performance.
The double-points finish in Austria allows Sauber to arrive at Silverstone with real momentum and the potential to shine again and potentially embarrass some of its British rivals like Williams or Aston Martin at home.
The Hinwil-based squad will have yet another upgrade package at its disposal in Britain, so it could again be a team to watch out for this weekend.