Charles Leclerc claimed victory in the 2026 British Grand Prix, ending a long winless streak that stretched back to Austin 2024. After 624 days without a Formula 1 victory, the Ferrari driver returned to the top step of the podium, delivering Ferrari’s 250th Grand Prix win, the Scuderia’s 16th triumph at Silverstone, and doing so behind the wheel of the number 16 car.
Following an outstanding race, Leclerc reflected on an emotional afternoon and the hard work that finally paid off.
Leclerc dominates before sealing an emotional victory
After making an excellent start, Charles Leclerc took control of the race with impressive pace. He successfully kept Andrea Kimi Antonelli behind during the opening stint on Medium tyres, although Ferrari’s pace on the Hard compound was less convincing later in the race.
Even so, the SF-26 once again demonstrated its competitiveness, and after several difficult weekends, Leclerc finally rediscovered the confidence and feeling he had been searching for. Speaking after the race, the Monegasque admitted the victory meant far more than simply adding another win to his record.
Leclerc: “Without Kimi‘s problem, it would have been difficult”
“I’m really happy. The feeling was fantastic. I’m really, really, really happy because the last few races have been difficult and we’ve worked incredibly hard. I know it doesn’t look like it from the outside, but we’ve done absolutely everything possible to get this feeling back. I’m truly grateful for all the work the team has done. It hasn’t been easy for me, but it hasn’t been easy for the people who work with me every day either, and I’m really happy to be back on the top step of the podium. I’m happy for everyone who has suffered with me over the last few races.”
“My victories always seem to have something special about them—it’s always like that! I’m so happy because I’ve spent many weekends searching for this feeling. After the Sprint Race, I said publicly that maybe I’d found something, but I still had to prove it on track. I already felt much better in qualifying, but today’s race was still a big question mark. From the very first corners, though, I immediately felt much more comfortable.”
“The start was good, and I was happy with how I got away. The pace was there, and so was the feeling with the car. Today we also had a bit of luck, and sometimes you need that. I think it would have been difficult to keep Kimi behind without his technical problem, but once he had that issue, I told myself I just had to manage the car. I said over the radio that I didn’t want to take any risks—I wasn’t going to attack the kerbs and I wanted to be really careful. Then I heard that one of the Mercedes cars had suffered a puncture, and after the Safety Car I thought, ‘Not again.’ It wasn’t a pleasant message to receive while driving, but the biggest challenge was the Safety Car because my tyres were ice cold. In the end, though, we won, and I’m incredibly happy.”
This emotional victory marks a pivotal moment for both Leclerc and Ferrari, proving that their relentless development efforts are finally yielding the results they deserve. As the 2026 season continues, this win provides a significant boost to the Maranello team’s morale and championship momentum.
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