Charles Leclerc insists Mercedes remain Formula 1 favourites in Belgium

[p]The Monegasque won at ‌Silverstone this month after seven-time world champion ‌teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hamilton-lewis/tI5Vpe1h/"]Lewis Hamilton[/a] triumphed in Barcelona in June.[/p][p]Mercedes ‌have won the other seven rounds, with championship ‌leader [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antonelli-andrea-kimi/ptGu0mT1/"]Kimi Antonelli[/a] taking five successive victories.[/p][p]"[b]For me, Silverstone and Spa are two tracks that will suit ‌Mercedes a lot better[/b]," Leclerc told ⁠reporters at Spa-Francorchamps, ‌the scene of his first F1 win in 2019.[/p][p]"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.[/p][p]"[b]So, ⁠yeah, I ​think in Spa Mercedes is still the favourite[/b]."[/p][embed guid="bfefc217-5fe2-43c5-82fc-dee279b2b158" url="https://x.com/ScuderiaFerrari/status/2077709002817884229" social-type="twitter" /][p]Italian Antonelli, 19, started on pole position at Silverstone but lost out at the start and dropped to ‌third before fighting back.[/p][p]He was then slowed by a mechanical problem and a penalty for exceeding track limits and finished 16th - his second blank in three races - with his lead slashed to 25 points over teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/russell-george/xxF56RaN/"]George Russell[/a].[/p][p]"[b]Our car has been quick at every race, so for sure I’d expect us to be up ‌there[/b]," Antonelli said of his Belgian prospects. "[b]But ​Ferrari were also very strong at Silverstone[/b].[/p][p]"[b]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[/b].[/p][p]"So definitely we ⁠think they can be ‌up there this weekend."[/p]