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Leclerc Ends Two‑Year Drought With Silverstone Win

A small driver-led tweak between the Sprint and qualifying restored his confidence, with Mercedes' pit call and Kimi Antonelli's late steering failure turning the gap into a winning margin.

Overview

  • Leclerc made a targeted, driver-led change after the Sprint that immediately improved the SF-26's balance and held up over a full Grand Prix distance on Sunday.
  • He led from the start and kept the lead to the flag as the race finished under the safety car following a late spin at Stowe.
  • Mercedes delayed Kimi Antonelli’s pit stop by about ten laps to give him a tyre advantage that let him close rapidly before he slowed with a front-left steering/wheel-shield problem and fell to P16.
  • The win ended Leclerc’s nearly two-year victory drought since Austin 2024 and recorded Ferrari’s 250th Formula 1 World Championship race victory.
  • Commentators called the result a psychological turning point for Leclerc and a reminder that fine setup choices, pit timing and mechanical reliability will shape the championship fight going forward.