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Leclerc Surprises Mercedes at Silverstone; Antonelli Falls Back
Charles Leclerc took an impressive victory at the British Grand Prix after championship leader Kimi Antonelli was plagued by reliability issues in the closing stages.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-07-05T15:53:27.000Z - 1 min read
Kimi Antonelli started the race at Silverstone from pole position, but his lead was short-lived. Charles Leclerc managed to snatch the lead immediately after the start. His teammate Lewis Hamilton followed suit and also passed Antonelli.
Leclerc then consolidated his race lead. An early pit stop proved to be the only one he needed. With this, he set the tone for a strong race in which he successfully kept the competition at bay.
The race took an unexpected turn for championship leader Kimi Antonelli. While he held a solid second place for a long time, he was hit by mechanical problems in the closing stages. These reliability issues ultimately forced him to fall back.
Antonelli's setback allowed the Mercedes drivers to capitalize. George Russell finished second, while Lewis Hamilton claimed third place, securing a strong team result behind the surprising winner.