Leclerc’s daring overtake on Russell sparks epic 'balls of steel' reaction

The Monegasque found himself on the wrong side of the timing when the VSC was deployed following Oliver Bearman’s heavy crash, rejoining the track after his stop behind both his team-mate and George Russell.

However, a bold double move around the outside at Turn 1 - first on Lewis Hamilton and then on George Russell, after initially being passed by the latter - earned him high praise from Bozzi.

“You’ve got balls of steel,” was the Italian engineer’s blunt reaction, underlining the brilliance of the move pulled off by the number 16, reminiscent of a similar overtake seen in 2023.

At the end of a race that had briefly seen him running on the podium before slipping back to sixth, the seven-time world champion described it as a fairly underwhelming weekend, admitting he struggled with a lack of power throughout and never quite had the pace to fight further up the order.

He explained that he spent most of the race on the defensive, with rivals around him appearing to have stronger deployment, leaving him unable to respond. The Briton acknowledged that something didn’t feel right on his side, raising questions over whether there was an issue with his engine or energy usage that needs further investigation.

Hamilton also pointed to the comparison with Leclerc, noting that despite being in the same machinery, the Ferrari driver seemed to have an edge in power, allowing him to secure third place. For Hamilton, it was another sign that something wasn’t working as expected, with performance missing in key phases of the race.