Charles Leclerc claimed his first Formula One victory in almost two years after winning the British Grand Prix for Ferrari in a race overshadowed by a late safety car error acknowledged by the FIA.
The Ferrari driver finished ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell and teammate Lewis Hamilton after the race ended behind the safety car following confusion in the closing laps at Silverstone.
Race control initially indicated the safety car would return to the pits with one lap remaining, suggesting a final-lap sprint to the finish. However, the message was later withdrawn, leaving the field behind the safety car until the chequered flag.
After the race, the FIA said the confusion was caused by a technical issue.
“The ‘safety car in this lap’ message was displayed erroneously due to a software error,” the governing body said.
Ferrari secures another victory
Leclerc’s victory marked Ferrari’s second win in the last three races and his first since the 2024 United States Grand Prix in Austin.
Russell finished second to secure his first podium at his home race, while Hamilton completed the podium in third despite serving a five-second penalty for moving before the race start.
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McLaren’s Lando Norris finished fourth, followed by Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar. Racing Bulls drivers Liam Lawson and 18-year-old British rookie Arvid Lindblad also scored points.
Antonelli’s title lead cut
Championship leader, Kimi Antonelli, suffered a suspension problem while chasing Leclerc for the lead.
After dropping down the order with the mechanical issue, Antonelli crossed the finish line in ninth before receiving a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits while managing the car’s problems. The penalty dropped him to 16th.
The result reduced Antonelli’s championship advantage over Russell to 25 points, while Hamilton remained seven points further behind, subject to a post-race investigation for an alleged yellow-flag infringement.
Verstappen crash changes race
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen lost control of his car at Stowe while chasing Hamilton for second place, triggering the late safety car.
Mercedes chose not to pit Russell during the caution period, moving him into second place while most other frontrunners fitted fresh tyres.
The safety car initially appeared set to pull into the pits for a final-lap restart, but race control kept it on track after the earlier message was issued in error.
The FIA later explained that regulations require one full lap after the unlapping procedure before racing can resume.
“This process was followed by race operations. The ‘safety car in this lap’ message was displayed erroneously due to a software error.”
Fast start for Ferrari
Antonelli started from pole position but lost the lead immediately after a slow getaway, with both Ferraris passing him on the opening lap.
Leclerc moved into the lead while Hamilton took second, holding Antonelli behind before the Mercedes driver eventually overtook him on lap 11.
Ferrari’s strategy allowed Leclerc to build a comfortable advantage before Antonelli’s suspension issue ended his challenge.
Next race
Formula One now takes a two-week break before the championship resumes at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps from July 17 to 19.
