Lewis Hamilton says empty batteries will mean an ‘unprecedented’ British Grand Prix

   ​Silverstone hasn’t changed, but Lewis Hamilton says he is ready for a British Grand Prix on a “completely different track.” With nine wins at this venue—the most by any F1 driver at a single circuit—Hamilton knows Silverstone well. As the weekend unfolds, he explains how the 2026-spec cars will struggle on the long straights and rapid corners, predicting that cars will run with depleted battery power because the heavy braking zones required to recharge the electrical system are essential for operation.
“This is going to be the most unprecedented weekend in terms of power deployment,” he said on Thursday. “All of us drivers have been talking on the drivers’ chat about how poor the power is going to be through this track. We’re going to run out of battery power.” The quickest lap at Silverstone now may involve easing off the throttle to recharge, which could dampen what would normally be some of the sport’s most thrilling sections, Hamilton warned. He added that the engine won’t scream into Copse as it did before, and the cars may coast through Maggots and Becketts for stretches, making it feel like a “completely different track.”
Even before Friday practice, drivers have been using advanced simulators to train for Silverstone, simulating how the new power deployment will behave. Hamilton’s outlook aligns with rival Max Verstappen, who said he “just started laughing” when he tested the simulators. Yet Lando Norris remains optimistic about the show, saying he expects Sunday to be exciting even if the on-track challenges are reduced compared with recent years.
Home races have been unlucky for F1 lately. No driver has scored points at his home Grand Prix since Kimi Räikkönen finished ninth at Monza last year. This season has seen Oscar Piastri fail to start in Australia and Charles Leclerc crash in Monaco, leaving Carlos Sainz Jr. with the best home result at 12th. Britain remains a prime stage for fate to change, especially with Hamilton already a nine-time winner, Norris the defending champion, and George Russell fresh off a victory in Austria. The trio last month also helped deliver the first all-British podium since 1968 at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.