Charles Leclerc has spoken out about the controversial ending of the British GP. Although the Monegasque benefited from the late safety car at Silverstone with his victory – ‘I was quite happy with that conclusion,’ he laughs – he still found it a shame that the Grand Prix could not be restarted after Max Verstappen’s crash: ‘There will always be situations where this happens’.
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The British GP has provided many unexpected twists in recent years – from Carlos Sainz’s first victory to Lewis Hamilton’s last Mercedes win at Silverstone – but ended in a damp squib this season. Due to Max Verstappen’s late crash at Stowe, the race could not be restarted. The drivers thus crossed the finish line one by one behind the safety car. There was a lot of criticism after the Grand Prix about the FIA’s decision to end the race this way. Especially since a message was accidentally sent that the safety car would leave the circuit for the last lap.
Before the next race weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, Charles Leclerc – who thus secured his first win since 2024 – is asked about the controversial ending. “I was quite happy with that conclusion at Silverstone,” the Monegasque laughs. “But most people will say this is not the best way to finish a race. Safety is of course paramount, but it is true that it is always a shame when we have to finish the race behind the safety car.”
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‘Safety comes first’
The Ferrari driver is not against revising the rules to prevent a recurrence, but does not expect similar situations to be completely avoidable. “Maybe we can look at the rules, but there will always be situations where this happens,” Leclerc continues. “Safety always comes first.”
Andrea Kimi Antonelli agrees with the Monegasque. “There will be moments when the race will or will not restart,” says the Italian. “These are simply the rules. As Charles said, there will always be someone who is happy with it and someone who is not. We have to live with these rules, we just have to accept it.”
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Read everything about the Belgian GP here
