Formula 1: Charles Leclerc wins US Grand Prix in one-two for Scuderia Ferrari
Charles Leclerc won the Austin Grand Prix,here with Carlos Sainz, who took second place. A clean sweep for Scuderia Ferrari in the USA! © Scuderia Ferrari HP
Scuderia Ferrari was on fire on the Austin track at the US Grand Prix on Sunday, with a dazzling performance that delighted fans and Formula 1 enthusiasts alike. In a combination of bold strategy and total control, Charles Leclerc P1 and Carlos Sainz P2 put on a top-class show to claim a long-awaited maximum score.
Right from lights out, Charles Leclerc took advantage of a tussle between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen on the first bend. The quick-thinking Monegasque took advantage of the situation and the lead in the race, while Carlos Sainz, in third position, struggled to get the better of Verstappen. The explosive start set the Scuderia on track for success, with Leclerc in consummate control of the race.
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A winning strategy
Teamwork was essential for Ferrari. The strategists quickly adjusted Sainz’s race plan, which meant he could make a perfectly timed pit stop on lap 21. As he came out in front of Sergio Perez, the Spaniard was then able to take advantage of the speed of the SF-24 on Hard tyres, landing a magnificent undercut on defending champion Verstappen.
The rise of Leclerc
On lap 26, the Monegasque driver also header for the pits, but he had to elbow his way past Oscar Piastri to regain the lead. By lap 31, Leclerc was ahead, closely followed by Sainz. The Ferrari duo led from then on, showing perfect teamwork to bring home an equally perfect finish.
Joy on the podium
As he crossed the finish line, Charles Leclerc celebrated his eighth career victory, while Carlos Sainz secured his sixth podium of the season. Together they helped Ferrari to its 87th double finish and an impressive 55 points this weekend.
The drivers’ reactions
“t feels good to bring home a victory at the start of this triple header. The whole team did an amazing job to make this happen and a 1-2 brings us a good amount of points in the fight for the Constructors’ title. It’s an optimistic target, but we will never stop dreaming until it is done.It feels good to bring home a victory at the start of this triple header. The whole team did an amazing job to make this happen and a 1-2 brings us a good amount of points in the fight for the Constructors’ title. It’s an optimistic target, but we will never stop dreaming until it is done.I had a good start, leveraging the fact that Max (Verstappen) pushed hard into turn 1, and Lando (Norris) defended from him. I lined up my exit and overtook both of them.
After that, I knew it would be a matter of taking good care of my tyres and just bringing it home. Our pace was really strong from the first lap onwards and I felt that I could pull away from Max quite comfortably. We’ve made a really good step in terms of our race trim, and hopefully, we will keep it up in the next few races. We will do everything to maximise our results and at the end of the year, we will do the maths and see where we stand. ” said Charles Leclerc in the Scuderia Ferrari press release.
“For the team this was basically the perfect weekend, so mega congrats to everyone both here and at home. My race was compromised at the start as I got blocked by Lando (Norris) and Max (Verstappen) fighting in front of me, which meant I did the first stint in Max’s dirty air. We had an issue and for some laps I was concerned but we managed to address it and used our pace to undercut Max and finish in P2.
It’s great to be able to go on the attack with this car and we want to fight until the last race for the Constructors’ Championship. We have to continue working like this for the remaining races, starting in Mexico City next week.” said Carlos Sainz.
A well-earned celebration
After such an impressive performance, the Ferrari team had every reason to celebrate in Austin. The hard work of the whole team, including Arthur Leclerc at Maranello and on the circuit, has paid off, and they’re brimming with enthusiasm as they look to the future and even more victories.
Looking to new horizons
With this victory, Ferrari is back in the fight for the Constructors’ title, just 54 points behind McLaren and 8 behind Red Bull. The next few races promise to be exciting, starting with the Grand Prix in Mexico City, where the team will continue to maximise its potential.
Race summary:
- Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc are in third and fourth place respectively on the starting grid.
- Start: As the cars enter the first corner, a minor collision between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen allows Charles to take first place, while Carlos is third behind the Dutchman.
- Lap 3: The Safety Car comes out after a nine-race absence, following an incident in which Lewis Hamilton gets stuck in the gravel at Turn 19.
- Lap 5: The race resumes, with the order as follows: Leclerc, Verstappen, Sainz, Norris and Piastri.
- Lap 21 : Carlos makes his first pit stop to take on Hard tyres and comes out in fifth position after a 2.6 second stop.
- Lap 25: Verstappen also goes to the pits to change his Hard tyres, letting Carlos move up to fourth place.
- Lap 26 : Charles also enters the pits to switch to Hard tyres, and gets back to the race in third position, just behind Norris and Piastri.
- Lap 31 : Leclerc manages to pass Piastri to take second place, than Norris pits for a change to Hard tyres. Charles is in the lead, followed by Piastri and Sainz.
- Lap 32 : Piastri also makes a stop, leaving the Ferraris in first and second positions.
Finish: No change for the two Ferrari drivers, but behind them, a fierce duel is taking place between Verstappen and Norris for third place. The British driver crosses the finish line ahead of the Dutchman, but a penalty reverses their respective positions. The race is the Scuderia’s 87th head-to-head finish, earning 55 precious points.