Leclerc Wins British Grand Prix After Antonelli’s Late Retirement and Safety Car

Charles Leclerc won the 2026 British Grand Prix at Silverstone on July 5, ending a 624-day winless streak for Ferrari. George Russell finished second for Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton placed third for Ferrari. Kimi Antonelli started from pole but was passed by both Ferraris at the start.

Leclerc built a lead before the race turned with 11 laps remaining when Antonelli suffered a suspension failure while running second. Max Verstappen then crashed at Stowe corner on lap 48 while in third place. A safety car was deployed after Verstappen's incident and remained on track until the finish.

Leclerc and Hamilton pitted for new tires under the safety car, while Russell stayed out and moved into second. Antonelli crossed the line ninth but received a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits multiple times in his damaged car, dropping him to 16th. Antonelli's championship lead over Russell fell from 43 points to 25 points.

Hamilton trails Antonelli by 32 points. Hamilton faces a stewards' investigation for a yellow-flag infringement. The race began before a record crowd of 175,000. Antonelli pitted on lap 35 and again later to remove a loose brake duct.

The FIA stated the 'safety car in this lap' message was displayed erroneously due to a software error.