Charles Leclerc headed George Russell and Lewis Hamilton to win the British Grand Prix as System 1 championship chief Kimi Antonelli misplaced second place with late reliability troubles.
Leclerc had snatched the lead away from polesitter Kimi Antonelli at first, with third-placed starter Hamilton additionally following his Ferrari team-mate by way of.
Whereas Leclerc made his solely pitstop, Antonelli stayed out to eke out a useful tyre-life benefit on the Ferrari man, solely pitting on lap 35 of 52. However on lap 41 Antonelli reported “one thing is damaged” on his Mercedes. It emerged Antonelli’s left wheel defend failed, inflicting crippling dealing with points that made the Italian pit twice to rectify the problem however noticed him drop outdoors the highest 10, dropping 18 essential factors within the drivers’ standings.
Antonelli’s misfortunate sealed the primary win of 2026 for Leclerc, as he nursed a snug 20-second lead on team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
From third on the grid, Hamilton took a five-second time penalty for a false begin, however after sitting out his punishment throughout his pitstop the seven-time world champion simply got here out on high of a three-way struggle with Pink Bull’s Max Verstappen and the second Mercedes of George Russell.
Verstappen seemed set to say an unlikely podium after struggling along with his Pink Bull’s dealing with, gearbox and energy unit deployment, however the Dutchman dramatically spun off the street at Stowe with six laps to go, beaching himself within the gravel mattress.
Verstappen’s off introduced out the protection automotive, which seemed prefer it was going to arrange a manic one-lap shoot-out as nearly all of the sphere pitted for smooth tyres. Russell stayed out on mediums, nevertheless, giving his observe place on outdated mediums in second, forward of Hamilton and McLaren’s Lando Norris.
However whereas race management reported the protection automotive would are available in on the finish of the penultimate lap, the car continued on, with Leclerc heading Russell and Hamilton locked into the rostrum positions.
Hamilton continues to be to face the FIA race stewards for a yellow-flag infringement.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Photograph by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Photographs by way of Getty Photographs
In the meantime, the end was a fortunate break for Russell, who had suffered extra misfortune by having to make an extra pitstop for a sluggish puncture.
Norris ended up in fourth, benefitting from Verstappen’s and Antonelli’s misfortune after the reigning world champion had been all at sea along with his McLaren, which was unable to maintain up with the competitors on Silverstone’s demanding format.
Isack Hadjar was fifth for Pink Bull, forward of midfield leaders Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad for the spectacular Racing Bulls squad.
Gabriel Bortoleto lastly scored extra hard-earned factors for Audi with eighth, the primary factors end for the crew because the Melbourne season opener, with Alpine duo Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly rounding out the highest 10.
Luckless Antonelli crossed the end line in sixteenth, seeing his championship lead on team-mate Russell dwindle to 25 factors.
Photographs from British GP – Sunday
Learn Additionally:
2026 British Grand Prix outcomes
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