Ferrari’s impressive victory at the British Grand Prix continues to generate discussion throughout the Formula 1 paddock. After struggling to unlock the full potential of the SF-26 just one week earlier in Austria, the Scuderia suddenly looked transformed at Silverstone, leaving fans and analysts searching for answers.
Among the many theories that have surfaced in recent days, one in particular has attracted significant attention. During the Terruzzi Racconta podcast, journalists Giorgio Terruzzi, Pino Allievi and Stefano Nicoli explored the possibility that Charles Leclerc may have quietly returned to using Brembo brake components after previously experimenting with Carbon Industries equipment.
While there is currently no official confirmation from Ferrari, the suggestion has added another intriguing layer to the debate surrounding the team’s remarkable turnaround and the true reasons behind its renewed competitiveness.
A possible explanation behind Ferrari’s Silverstone pace
Opening the discussion, Giorgio Terruzzi suggested that Charles Leclerc appeared far more relaxed and comfortable behind the wheel throughout the Silverstone weekend than he had during previous races.
According to Terruzzi, one possible explanation could be that the Ferrari driver had returned to relying more on his own technical instincts instead of following development directions inspired by Lewis Hamilton’s preferences. He also proposed another possibility: that Charles Leclerc may have switched back to Brembo brakes after previously using Carbon Industries components.
The theory immediately caught the attention of the other journalists, although everyone involved acknowledged that there is currently no concrete evidence supporting the claim.
No official confirmation, but several questions remain
Pino Allievi stressed that the Brembo theory should, at this stage, be considered nothing more than an interesting hypothesis rather than an established fact.
He explained that it was one of several unanswered questions surrounding Ferrari’s sudden improvement, adding that the team had provided no definitive clarification. However, he also noted that certain reactions and observations from the Silverstone weekend appeared consistent with that possibility, making it an avenue worth monitoring. The discussion highlighted how difficult it remains to identify a single factor behind Ferrari’s dramatic leap in performance between Austria and Great Britain.
Modern Formula 1 cars are incredibly complex machines, and improvements rarely come from just one technical change. Aerodynamic balance, setup philosophy, tyre management, suspension behaviour and driver confidence all interact with each other, making it extremely difficult to isolate one decisive element.
Even Ferrari appeared surprised by its own performance
Another point raised during the podcast was perhaps even more surprising.
According to the journalists, Ferrari itself may not have fully anticipated the level of competitiveness displayed at Silverstone.
Pino Allievi recalled comments made by Charles Leclerc after the race, explaining that the Ferrari driver had admitted he was surprised by the pace of the SF-26 because the team’s pre-weekend simulations had suggested they would likely be fighting only for sixth or seventh place. The contrast between those expectations and the eventual race result has inevitably raised further questions about what Ferrari discovered between Friday practice and Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Whether the improvement resulted from setup optimisation, a better understanding of the latest upgrades or another technical adjustment entirely remains one of the biggest talking points following the British Grand Prix.
The SF-26 continues to puzzle analysts
Stefano Nicoli observed that Ferrari’s current car remains one of the most difficult Formula 1 machines to interpret.
From one weekend to the next, the SF-26 can appear almost like a completely different car depending on the circuit characteristics and the setup direction chosen by the engineers. He pointed out that the performances seen in Austria and at Silverstone were so dramatically different that they almost seemed to involve two separate technical packages rather than the same Formula 1 car.
Although numerous clues have emerged over recent races, Nicoli argued that nobody outside Ferrari can yet confidently identify the single reason behind such a significant change in competitiveness.
Did Ferrari finally unlock its upgrade package?
Another explanation discussed during the podcast focused less on the braking system and more on Ferrari’s aerodynamic development programme.
According to Giorgio Terruzzi, one possible internal interpretation is that the Italian side simply failed to extract the maximum potential from the upgrade package introduced at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Rather than the upgrades themselves being ineffective, the problem may have been the team’s initial understanding of how to configure the SF-26 around those new components. After the disappointment at the Red Bull Ring, Ferrari’s engineers may have reassessed their data, refined the setup philosophy and finally found the operating window that allowed the new package to perform as originally intended.
If that interpretation is correct, Silverstone may not represent a sudden miracle, but rather the moment when Ferrari finally learned how to exploit the full potential of its latest developments.
Growing confidence in Ferrari’s technical direction
Pino Allievi also praised the progress Ferrari has made in recent months, suggesting that the atmosphere surrounding the team has changed considerably.
He argued that Ferrari is once again introducing ambitious technical ideas while demonstrating that its development programme is producing genuine performance gains. Although some upgrades may require additional time before their full benefits become visible on track, he believes the overall direction of the project has been highly encouraging.
Special praise was reserved for technical director Loïc Serra, who, despite not having previously designed a Formula 1 car from scratch, was credited with helping shape what Allievi considers one of the Maranello team’s strongest single-seaters of recent seasons.
The steady progress shown throughout recent races has strengthened optimism that Ferrari’s development trajectory is moving in the right direction as the championship enters its second half.
The Brembo theory remains only speculation
Despite the growing discussion, it is important to underline that the suggestion of Charles Leclerc returning to Brembo brakes remains exactly that: speculation.
Neither Ferrari nor Charles Leclerc has publicly confirmed any change to the braking package used during the Silverstone weekend.
For now, the theory remains an interesting possibility raised during the Terruzzi Racconta podcast rather than an officially verified explanation for Ferrari’s remarkable improvement.
As the Formula 1 season continues and Ferrari prepares for the next rounds of the championship, further technical information may eventually clarify whether the breakthrough at Silverstone was driven by changes to the braking system, a better understanding of the upgrades, improved setup choices or, more likely, a combination of several factors working together.
Until then, the mystery surrounding Ferrari’s impressive transformation at Silverstone remains one of the most fascinating technical stories currently unfolding in Formula 1.
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