The disappointment of the Red Bull Ring was quickly erased by a memorable British Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc made a superb launch from the front row before pulling away to secure a victory of enormous psychological importance.
It soon became clear that this Sunday would be different. Fate also played its part, with the problem that struck Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes halting what looked like an inevitable charge towards the lead in the closing stages. The Monegasque driver not only delivered Ferrari’s 250th Formula 1 victory but also found the answers he had been searching for regarding the changes made throughout the weekend, adjustments that finally allowed him to rediscover his confidence with the SF-26 after several extremely difficult race weekends.
Leclerc: “I had to prove what I said after the Sprint”
Silverstone victory also came with a slice of good fortune, thanks to the mechanical issue that ended Kimi Antonelli’s remarkable recovery after his pit stop. Even so, the result was hugely significant because it confirmed to Leclerc that the direction Ferrari chose after Saturday’s Sprint was the correct one.
“I’m sorry for Antonelli, but sometimes you need a bit of luck,” the Ferrari driver said. “Every one of my victories has something like this—it always seems to happen! I’m so happy because I’ve been fighting for many weekends with this feeling. After the Sprint, I said I thought I had found something, and I needed to prove it on track. I’m happy for all the people who have suffered alongside me during these last few races.”
The triumph at Silverstone allowed Leclerc to put behind him an especially difficult period that began with the brake problems he experienced during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend and continued through several races in which he appeared to have lost his connection with the SF-26.
“I’m incredibly happy! The last two races were difficult, and I worked very hard with the team to understand what was preventing me from feeling comfortable with the car. On Friday evening I noticed something in the data and thought, ‘Okay, maybe this is what’s causing the problem.’ We kept working on the setup, but I couldn’t find the right balance. In qualifying I already felt much better, but there was still a huge question mark over today’s race. From the very first laps, I felt much more comfortable.”
Speaking further about the challenging weeks behind him and the work that went into solving the issues, Leclerc added: “I know people on the outside don’t see everything, but we did absolutely everything possible to get that feeling back. I’m really grateful for the work everyone in the team has done. It wasn’t easy for me, but it wasn’t easy for them either. They take care of me every single day, and I’m truly happy to be standing on the top step of the podium.”
The race: a perfect start and the late Safety Car scare
Looking back at the race itself, Charles Leclerc highlighted his excellent start, which allowed him to build a crucial gap over his rivals during the opening stint. He also admitted that the dramatic closing laps kept him on edge.
“The start was very good, and I was happy with it. The pace was there, and so was the feeling with the car. Today we had a bit of luck, but sometimes you need that. I think it would have been very difficult to keep Kimi behind without his problem. Once he retired, I immediately told myself that I simply had to manage the car. I said on the radio, ‘I’m not going to take any risks. I won’t attack the kerbs, we’ll be very careful.’
“Then I heard that one of the Mercedes cars had suffered a puncture, and after the Safety Car I thought, ‘Not again.’ Hearing that over the radio wasn’t pleasant because my biggest concern was the Safety Car itself. My tyres had completely cooled down. In the end, though, we won, and I’m really happy.”
The victory has also reignited Charles Leclerc’s championship campaign, lifting him to fourth place in the Drivers’ standings and allowing him to reduce part of the gap to Antonelli.
“The championship isn’t something I’m thinking about right now,” he explained. “We’ll see where we are at the end of the season. What I need to focus on is keeping this feeling with the car. If I have this feeling in the car, I’m confident the results will come.”
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