Charles Leclerc led Ferrari to a magnificent one-two finish at the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas. The Monegasque driver got the better start from fourth on the grid. He capitalized on an early incident between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen to take the lead on the first lap. And from there, it was a relatively smooth drive for him to the checkered flag for a third win of the season and the eighth of his career.
“We’ve seen it yesterday in the Sprint race, we were a bit… not scared. But we thought the others would improve a lot more today but we still had the upper hand. So [I’m] really happy with today. A one-two for the team, we couldn’t have dreamed for better.”
Charles Leclerc after winning United States Grand Prix
A Ferrari masterclass at COTA
Ferrari’s strong race performance was a reflection of their strong pace which had been seen in Friday practice. The stage was practically set for Leclerc to have a dominant drive after he made an early move up to P1. The Ferrari driver was able to stretch out the competition and keep it at bay for a large part of the race. Meanwhile, Leclerc’s Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz, who started third ahead of him, recovered to take a strong second place to wrap up the perfect weekend for Ferrari.
Pole-sitter Lando Norris was pushed wide in a battle with Verstappen into Turn 1, allowing Leclerc to take the lead on a seamless start. But while at the front, Leclerc and Sainz had a trouble-free race, the fight for the final podium place was a dramatic one.
Related: Seven Formula 1 drivers who switched to other racing series
Verstappen holds off Norris in late-race drama
Towards the closing laps, Verstappen and Norris were dueling for the final podium spot. After a bold move at Turn 12, Norris, who had started on pole, was given a 5-second penalty when both cars slid wide. Norris, who crossed the line in third, was demoted by the penalty to fourth, putting Verstappen on the podium.
“I mean clearly I didn’t give the position back because we thought we were in the right . Clearly we weren’t. I still think we were, considering Max went off the track… I kept my position because he needed to give it back.”
Lando Norris reflecting on incident with Verstappen
Verstappen, for his part, was satisfied with the decision: “Yeah, I think it’s quite clear. You can’t overtake outside of the white line. I mean, I got done for it also here in, I think, 2017 or whatever it was. So I lost my podium like that.”
Also Read: How To Watch Formula 1 Live Without Cable 2024
George Russell’s comeback steals the show
George Russell’s sixth-place finish was one of the race’s standout performances with the Briton’s surprise progress from the pit lane. The Mercedes driver started at the back of the field after accruing penalties. But he worked his way through the field, passing the likes of Sergio Perez, Nico Hulkenberg, and rookies Liam Lawson and Franco Colapinto.
Meanwhile, Russell’s fightback was a stark contrast to the misfortune of his teammate Lewis Hamilton. His race ended early on Lap 3, spinning off and forced to retire. A disappointing end to an already tough weekend for the five-time winner at COTA.
Related: Top 5 Formula 1 upsets: When underdogs beat the giants
Liam Lawson impresses in return
Liam Lawson stepped in for Daniel Ricciardo at VCARB and made an instant impact. Lawson showed his potential in the sprint race. But then the New Zealander surprised everyone by qualifying ahead of teammate Yuki Tsunoda for the main race and finishing in the points. Lawson started from the back due to a grid penalty, but his pace and determination propelled him to a great 9th-place finish. He was praised, with Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko saying he’s a ‘man for the future.’
Also Read: Highest paid Formula 1 drivers 2024: Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen lead top 10 F1 salaries
What lies ahead for Ferrari?
Leclerc is optimistic that Ferrari can mount a championship push with their success at the United States Grand Prix, having given them so much confidence as the season progresses. “We are targeting the title,” he said.
With F1 heading to the Mexico GP next, fans will be waiting to see if Ferrari can add to their growing list of victories.
How did the 2024 F1 United States Grand Prix impact the championships?
Both championship standings were affected by the United States Grand Prix. Max Verstappen increased his lead in the drivers’ title race, ahead of Lando Norris. Third on track, Norris’ five-second penalty moved him down the standings and increased Verstappen’s advantage to 57 points.
With Ferrari’s one-two finish, they have narrowed the gap with Red Bull to just eight points in the constructors’ championship. Red Bull is closing the gap to McLaren, which still holds a 40-point lead. This means a tight fight for the final races.