Leclerc delighted to end win drought but admits: 'With Kimi it would have been close'

It was Leclerc's first victory since the 2024 United States Grand Prix, ending a winless run that had lasted almost two years. The Monegasque now draws level with his teammate for the most wins this season, while also boosting Ferrari's hopes in both the Drivers' and Constructors' championship battles.

Speaking after the race, Leclerc admitted the victory felt incredible, although he would have preferred to win under different circumstances given Antonelli's late technical issue. The Monegasque explained that the past few weekends had been particularly difficult, but revealed Ferrari's work to improve the car had finally paid off after finding a breakthrough following the Sprint. He said that feeling carried over into Sunday's race, where he finally felt fully comfortable behind the wheel again.

Leclerc also reflected on the challenging run that followed his Monaco victory, recalling crashes in qualifying and technical issues during the races that prevented him from delivering the results he believed were possible. While Austria had not been particularly encouraging, he felt everything came together at Silverstone and hopes to carry that momentum into the upcoming races.

The Ferrari driver finally admitted it would have been difficult to hold on to the lead had Antonelli not suffered his technical issue, acknowledging the Italian's pace as he closed the gap. Once informed of the problem, he believed victory was within reach, although a late Safety Car briefly complicated matters by leaving him with cold tyres after spending an extended period at reduced speed. Even so, he was relieved the race did not restart, allowing him to secure the win.