What Happened to Charles Leclerc at Silverstone?
The British Grand Prix contained a challenge for Charles Leclerc, who struggled from the start to the finish of the wet and dry conditions race. The Ferrari driver was one of the many who decided to change their intermediate tires to slicks. He was also one of the many who did not have the progress that was ultimately desired. A clear expression of frustration with the performance on the team's radio was clear. Additionally, he severely struggled with the lack of pace in the car, causing further irritation.
As the race went on, the rain caused a switchback to intermediate tires, before conditions cleared. He ended up finishing the race in 14th place, while his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, flew past, finishing in 4th place. Hamilton, though finishing in the top five, mentioned how the car was hard to drive, especially during the off-and-on rain. His car had a lot of understeer, and the tires were dropping. While the McLaren boys flew past, Hamilton did well during his home race. Lando Norris ended up finishing in 1st position, earning himself his first victory in his shared home race.
Both Ferrari drivers had their own set of issues and hardships during the British Grand Prix, but the data points that Leclerc’s grievances about the car and strategy took the cake for the two. It seems that Ferrari has been slacking, slipping, and sinking. There is heavy slack in the performance of their number one driver. They are slipping in providing Leclerc his first world championship. Ferrari is sinking, furthering their distance from McLaren in the 2025 Constructors’ Standings.
A huge congratulations to Nico Hülkenberg for earning his first podium in his Formula 1 career. He had a fantastic drive with Kick Sauber, finally going across the finish line as a podium winner. After over 200 races under his belt, he can finally say he has won in the top three, conquering the Silverstone track. Here is hoping that Ferrari and Leclerc can make a comeback and once again drive as a unit instead of in such a disconnect. Make sure to stay tuned for the Belgian Grand Prix on July 27th for more racing action for the 2025 season!