It was an afternoon to forget for Charles Leclerc at Silverstone, as the Monegasque driver endured what he later described as “one of the most difficult races of my career,” limping home in a disappointing 14th place at the British Grand Prix on Sunday, July 6.
Leclerc’s Sunday unravelled almost immediately, with the Ferrari driver one of a handful to pit at the end of the formation lap to swap his intermediate tyres for slicks. But as conditions remained slippery and cool, the gamble failed to pay off, and he struggled to find any rhythm.
As the race progressed, further rain forced another switch back to intermediates before the track eventually dried again. But Leclerc’s struggles continued, culminating in a late off through the high-speed Maggotts and Becketts section, ultimately leaving him 14th across the line.
Asked to sum up his frustrating afternoon, Leclerc admitted: “One of the most difficult races for me, if not the most difficult race of my career. I just struggled to keep the car on track from the first lap to the last lap.”
“I don’t know from where it’s coming from. I’ll obviously look at the data. I kind of have an idea; it might be because of the set-up that I’m choosing at the moment, which is quite extreme.
“I really struggle to believe that set-up makes such a difference. I think there’s something that we’ve got to look at.”
Questioned on how both he and Ferrari regroup ahead of the next round in Belgium, Leclerc was blunt in his assessment: “First by analysing and understanding what went on today. I struggled like crazy…”
While Leclerc endured a miserable afternoon, his team-mate Lewis Hamilton delivered a more encouraging performance, securing fourth place and narrowly missing out on a home podium, which was snatched by the high-flying Kick Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg.
At the sharp end of the race, it was Lando Norris who sent the British fans into raptures, the McLaren driver holding his nerve to take a superb victory in the changeable wet-dry conditions. Team-mate Oscar Piastri followed him home to secure a McLaren one-two, while Hulkenberg completed the podium — his maiden top-three finish in Formula 1.
Lando Norris has won in front of his home crowd at the British Grand Prix, the McLaren man leading from team mate Oscar Piastri while Kick Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg claimed a long-awaited podium in third.
Lando Norris has taken victory in an eventful wet-dry British Grand Prix, the McLaren driver leading home team mate Oscar Piastri on an action-packed afternoon that also saw Nico Hulkenberg finally clinch his maiden F1 podium.
