The 2024 Formula 1 British Grand Prix may be in the rear-view mirror, leaving just iconic images of Lewis Hamilton’s return to the top step of the podium behind, but the work continues at Silverstone.
And for one driver in particular, the effort Monday comes ahead of a critical decision regarding his — and the F1 driver grid’s — future.
Mick Schumacher was one of a trio of drivers participating in a Pirelli tire test at Silverstone on Tuesday, as the sport’s exclusive tire supplier works to refine the compounds for the 2025 F1 season. Schumacher climbed into the cockpit of McLaren’s MCL38, their challenger for the 2024 F1 season, as part of his reserve driver duties with Mercedes, McLaren’s engine supplier. Alexander Albon drove for Williams, with Haas — where Schumacher once drove on a full-time basis — calling on Pietro Fittipaldi.
This was not Schumacher’s first time testing for McLaren. Last July the former Haas driver climbed into the MCL35M for a testing session with the Woking-based team at Portimão Circuit in Portugal. Daniel Ricciardo drove the MCL35M to victory for McLaren at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix.
According to Pirelli’s media report, the conditions at Silverstone were too wet for the three drivers to test the hardest compounds, so the focus shifted to runs on the green-walled intermediates, using them with and without tire blankets.
As noted by Pirelli in the media report, “… a total of 201 laps were completed, 53 by Schumacher (best lap 1:37.428), 86 for Albon (1:41.116) and 62 for Fittipaldi (1:42.124).”
While there is no context associated with those times (such as whether Schumacher’s best lap came with or without tire blankets) it is worth noting that Hamilton’s best lap on intermediates during Sunday’s British Grand Prix, courtesy of data from F1 Tempo, was 1:37.220:
