SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium ¨C Formula One leader Mercedes is ?still the favorite for Sunday¡¯s Belgian Grand Prix despite Ferrari winning two of the last three races, Charles Leclerc said on Thursday.
The Monegasque won at Silverstone this month after ?seven-time world champion teammate Lewis Hamilton triumphed in ?Barcelona in ?June.
Mercedes won the other seven ?rounds, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli taking five successive victories.
¡°For me, Silverstone and Spa are two tracks that ?will suit Mercedes a lot better,¡± Leclerc told reporters at Spa-Francorchamps, ?the scene of his first F1 win in 2019.
¡°At Silverstone, it was honestly a surprise ?for us also to ?be strong. But we were also lucky on the Sunday because Kimi was ?probably as strong ?as what we expected.
¡°So, yeah, I ?think in Spa Mercedes is still the favorite.¡±
Italian ?Antonelli, ?19, started on pole position at Silverstone but lost out at the start and dropped to third before fighting back.
He was then slowed by a ?mechanical problem and a penalty for exceeding track limits and finished 16th ¡ª his second blank in three races ¡ª with his lead slashed to 25 points over teammate George Russell.
¡°Our ?car ?has been quick at every race, so ?for sure I¡¯d expect us to be up there,¡± ?Antonelli said of his Belgian prospects. ¡°But Ferrari were also very strong at Silverstone.
¡°It was a surprise, but to be fair, we always kind of expected them ?to be up there because, especially when it comes to qualifying, they seem to find some extra time.
¡°So definitely we think they can be up there this weekend.¡±
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