NEWS
Leclerc Finally Back on Top: "Problems Cost Me a Lot"
After almost two years, the Monegasque can win again: patience is a virtue when driving for Ferrari. His teammate also has to learn this.
The unexpected... sometimes happens!
Charles Leclerc was able to stride onto the top step of the podium at Silverstone for the first time since Austin 2024. Three weeks after teammate Lewis Hamilton's maiden victory in red, the Monegasque underlined that Ferrari has almost caught up with the frontrunners.
In Spielberg, tyre management prevented a better result; this time, the misfortune of the competition, with Kimi Antonelli's defect ("that must not break">>>) and Max Verstappen's spin ("f*** this car!">>>), came to their aid.
The Scuderia only squandered the one-two finish due to a misjudgement in the final safety car phase, which cost Lewis Hamilton second place.
Concerns Until the End
Understandably, Leclerc didn't care; after a perfect start, he was pleased with his own faultless race. Not the standard for him and his team.
"It's true that some problems cost me a lot. But I'm trying to disprove that narrative and show that I'm still capable of working well and purposefully," the now nine-time Grand Prix winner said, relieved that the entire team was making progress.
He was aware of the fortunate circumstances. Although the Ferraris overtook Kimi Antonelli at the start, the Italian continuously caught up before his defect: "He was very fast when he got closer. It would have been difficult to defend first place."
A restart after the safety car, which then did not happen, also caused concerns: "My tires were completely cold. Of course, it wasn't ideal for the fans, but under the helmet, I was happy about it."
Hamilton: "Overall, Not a Successful Sunday"
Despite a podium finish, his teammate looked less happy given the final circumstances. The "King of Silverstone," who alone has claimed as many victories at this track as Leclerc has in his entire career, also had to anxiously await the outcome for third place.
Ultimately, the investigation into an ignored yellow flag resulted only in a warning: according to the investigation, Hamilton could not see it in time.
"That was not a successful Sunday all around," he concluded nonetheless.
As a consolation, the seven-time world champion's chances of entering the title fight have drastically improved: the gap to leader Antonelli is now only 32 points.
