Behind the scenes: Lewis Hamilton’s reaction after Charles Leclerc’s Silverstone triumph. Lewis Hamilton's unseen reaction after Charles Leclerc's emotional Silverstone win.

Lewis Hamilton stunned by Charles Leclerc on home soil: the reaction behind the scenes

After the opening rounds of the 2026 Formula 1 season, it looked as though the World Championship would become an all-Mercedes affair. In fact, there was even a growing feeling that Kimi Antonelli had already placed one hand on the title.

However, while the Mercedes W17 proved to be an exceptionally fast car with one of the strongest power units on the grid, it also revealed a fragile side. Reliability problems and costly mistakes gradually allowed Ferrari to close the gap, reviving hopes of a genuine championship battle rather than a one-team domination.

With his victory at Silverstone, Charles Leclerc reminded his rivals—and Lewis Hamilton in particular—that it is still far too early to count him out of the title fight. Winning on British soil also sent a powerful message to the seven-time World Champion, as illustrated by an anecdote shared by Formula 1 commentator Alex Jacques.

“Charles was ahead of Lewis in Austria as well, but then everything changed because of the yellow flag and Max Verstappen‘s accident. At Silverstone, he converted his pole position into victory, and Lewis’ reaction said it all because he believed he had the situation under control. I saw him after the race, outside the commentary box, and he was incredibly dejected, standing off to one side looking at his phone,” Alex Jacques said during the F1 Nation podcast.