Charles Leclerc delivered a dominant performance at the 2024 United States Grand Prix, leading Ferrari to a remarkable one-two finish with teammate Carlos Sainz following closely in second. Leclerc’s third win of the season came after a brilliant start, where he surged from fourth place on the grid to take the lead at Turn 1, outmaneuvering Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, who battled for position.
“It was a pretty good Turn 1, exactly what I wanted to do,” Leclerc said after the race. “We had a really good launch, and from there, it was all about managing the race. The car felt great, and we couldn’t have dreamed of a better result.”
Once in front, Leclerc never looked back. He extended his lead throughout the race, comfortably controlling the pace and finishing 8.5 seconds ahead of Sainz. The victory marks Ferrari’s first one-two finish of the season, a crucial result as the team aims to fight for the Constructors’ Championship. With this result, Ferrari now sits just eight points behind Red Bull and 48 points off leaders McLaren in the standings.
Leclerc credited the team’s hard work and recent upgrades for their resurgence. “The engineers have been working like crazy over the last few months to bring the upgrades, and it seems to be paying off. The whole team is working super well, and the pit stops were perfect. Now, we are still targeting the title. It’s a long way to go, but this is a great start.”
Sainz’s second-place finish also played a key role in Ferrari’s Constructors’ Championship hopes. The Spaniard managed to undercut Verstappen during the pit stops, holding off his rivals to secure a crucial podium for Ferrari.
Meanwhile, the battle between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris for third place added extra drama to the race. Verstappen, who had won the Sprint race on Saturday, found himself struggling to keep pace with Ferrari over the full Grand Prix distance. He came under immense pressure from Norris in the closing stages of the race. The McLaren driver, on fresher tires, overtook Verstappen off the track, earning himself a five-second penalty that dropped him to fourth place, promoting Verstappen to the podium.
With Ferrari’s one-two finish in Austin, the team has sent a clear message: they are back in the hunt for titles. “I’m really happy with today’s 1-2,” Leclerc added. “We’ve shown we have the pace, and now it’s about staying consistent for the rest of the season.”
As the F1 season approaches its final stretch, the competition for both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships is heating up, and Ferrari’s performance in Austin may well be a turning point in their campaign, with the Constructors Championship clearly in their target sights.
2024 United States Grand Prix
• 1. Charles Leclerc Ferrari 56 Laps
• 2. Carlos Sainz Ferrari +8.562
• 3. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +19.412
• 4. Lando Norris McLaren +20.354
• 5. Oscar Piastri McLaren +21.921
2024 Constructors’ Championship – United States Grand Prix
• 1 McLaren Mercedes 544
• 2 Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT 504
• 3 Ferrari 496
