LECLERC WINS THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX AFTER A SAFETY CAR FINISH

Round nine and its back to the home of Formula One, Silverstone for the British Grand Prix and it was a race that took a while to get going but eventually we had some excitement which was ultimately ruined with the end of the race happening under the Safety Car to deny us a last lap fight between Russell and Hamilton. Charles Leclerc came out victorious for his first win since Austin 2024 with home heroes Russell taking second and Hamilton in third for his sixteenth Silverstone podium.

From his front row starting place of second it was Charles Leclerc who lead into turn one with Hamilton taking second from Antonelli who drops down to third.

Into turn six there’s contact between two drivers at turn six - involving the Haas of Ollie Bearman and Alex Albon in the Williams. Meanwhile Oscar Piastri and Liam Lawson make contact with the McLaren forced to pit with front wing damage which ended Piastri's race as he struggled to move back up the field.

The first moment of excitement we got came on lap twenty two when we had a very brief VSC for an umbrella which had floated trackside which was collected and we got going again soon after.

Then nothing really happened until twelve laps later when on lap thirty four Russell is told he’s got a slow puncture but he doesn’t pit as he attempts to pass Verstappen for third place. Russell does then pit the following lap to get rid of his faulty tyre.

The first retirement came thirty eight laps in when the Audi of Nico Hulkenberg pulls over and is out of the race and the VSC is deployed. It appears to be an engine failure for the German driver who claimed his first F1 podium round this track last year. We get back to full speed on the very next lap.

But then with just ten laps remaining in this race it all begins to go wrong for then race leader Kimi Antonelli who on lap forty two is going slowly down the Hangar straight and is complaining over the radio he pits and his front wing is replaced and now drops from first to fifth. 

Two laps later Kimi has to pit again to remove the broken piece of car that was affecting him determined to fight for any point he can get. He sits in tenth place after his two extra pit stops.

With the broken piece removed but still fighting to keep his car on track Kimi is given a five second penalty for leaving the track which will drop him out the points that he is so determined to get. A penalty he really shouldn't get as he isn't gaining time on an opponent.

We lose the Williams of Alex Albon on lap forty eight who retires after another tough race. But moments later Max Verstappen is off and out of the race from P3, he lost the rear of his Red Bull and is beached in the gravel and isn't going anywhere, the Safety Car is deployed, which means two things...

Antonelli is denied his points he tried so hard for as the backed up pack drop him from ninth to sixteenth and it also means we are denied a brilliant last lap finish to a race that ended with so much excitement around it.

The next race is the Belgian Grand Prix.

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