Scott Gulbransen
Charles Leclerc hadn’t won a grand prix since the 2024 United States GP in Austin. He picked the worst possible time to end his drought, beating his own Ferrari teammate, Lewis Hamilton, to the checkered flag at Silverstone. Seven-time Grand Prix winner Juan Pablo Montoya thinks the result says more than the trophy does.
“I think it was really good to see Charles perform. He finally clicked,” Montoya told NewBettingSites. “All drivers spend hours and hours looking at things, trying to understand how to do it better. Charles finally understood what he needed to do.”
The race finished under safety-car conditions after Max Verstappen spun at Stowe and Leclerc held on ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell and Hamilton, who was hit with a five-second penalty for a false start. It marked the first time all season Leclerc had beaten his teammate in a grand prix.
Montoya doesn’t think that’s a small thing, not with how Hamilton has been driving lately.
“When you beat somebody like Lewis in his home race, especially with the form that Lewis has been bringing lately, it’s a huge statement,” Montoya said.
Charles Leclerc’s Recent Ferrari Struggles
Getting there wasn’t simple. Ferrari spent weeks chasing a setup problem nobody could quite name. Montoya knows that hunt from experience.
“When you’re turning and it’s not giving you the right sensation, is it the ride height? There are so many things that can be wrong, so many issues that have an impact,” he said. “And when one of those things is out of phase, it can create a ton of different problems and create a witch hunt trying to sort it out.”
There was a mental piece to it too, according to Montoya. He’d noticed Leclerc spending recent race weekends fixated on Hamilton’s pace instead of his own. Silverstone looked different.
Leclerc still sits fourth in the standings, well back of championship leader Kimi Antonelli. But Montoya sees the win as bigger than the points.
“This win will do everything for Charles Leclerc’s confidence,” he said. “He finally showed why Ferrari thinks so highly of him and why they signed him again.”
Related: Report: Ferrari signs Charles Leclerc to 5-year extension
