Charles Leclerc secured a commanding victory for Ferrari at the United States Grand Prix, leading a 1-2 finish for the team with Carlos Sainz following him home. Leclerc controlled the race from the start, finishing eight seconds ahead of his teammate, while Lando Norris initially took third place on track but lost the podium due to a time penalty for exceeding track limits.
The race saw drama even before the lights went out, with George Russell crashing in qualifying and starting from the pit lane. His setback was a slight gain for teammate Lewis Hamilton, who began the race from 17th after being eliminated in Q1. Both Mercedes drivers, along with several others, opted for a conservative strategy, starting on the Hard compound.
Leclerc’s strong start saw him take the lead by capitalizing on a chaotic Turn 1, where Max Verstappen and Norris were battling for position. The Monegasque driver seized the opportunity to dive under both, securing an unexpected early advantage. Behind him, Verstappen and Sainz engaged in a back-and-forth battle, with Sainz pressuring the Red Bull driver but unable to make a move stick.
Hamilton’s charge through the field came to a halt when he lost control at the penultimate corner, beaching his car in the gravel and prompting the first Safety Car intervention since the Canadian Grand Prix in June. The neutralization allowed Leclerc to hold his lead over Verstappen and Sainz, with Norris and Oscar Piastri rounding out the top five.
The race resumed on Lap 5, and Leclerc gradually built a gap over Verstappen. Meanwhile, Zhou Guanyu’s race took a turn for the worse when Franco Colapinto spun him around at Turn 1, resulting in a collision. Russell, despite his comeback efforts, received a five-second penalty for pushing Valtteri Bottas off the track, complicating his progress.
Ferrari executed a successful undercut strategy with Sainz, pitting him on Lap 21 to switch to Hard tires, while Leclerc and Verstappen stayed out a few laps longer. The move paid off, allowing Sainz to gain ground on the Dutchman, who pitted on Lap 25. Leclerc followed suit a lap later, returning to the track in third behind the McLarens.
Norris led the race past the halfway mark, gambling on a one-stop strategy, while Leclerc overtook Piastri for second before regaining the lead when Norris made his pit stop. The McLaren driver emerged with fresher tires and quickly set the fastest laps to close in on Verstappen.
The battle for third intensified as Norris closed within DRS range of Verstappen, but the Red Bull driver defended well. With six laps to go, Norris made an attempt between Turns 13 and 16, only for Verstappen to counter. The McLaren eventually overtook using the outside line at Turn 12, but exceeded track limits in the process. The stewards deemed the move illegal, resulting in a five-second penalty that dropped Norris to fourth.
Leclerc cruised to his third victory of the season, with Sainz securing the runner-up spot to cap off a dominant day for Ferrari. Verstappen inherited third, extending his championship lead to 51 points. Piastri took fifth place, while Russell finished sixth after overtaking Sergio Perez, who settled for seventh.
Nico Hulkenberg delivered a strong performance for Haas, securing eighth, while Liam Lawson impressed with a ninth-place finish in his return to the grid. Colapinto rounded out the top ten for Williams, earning his second points finish of the season.
Key Takeaways from the Race:
– Ferrari’s Resurgence: The team’s 1-2 finish marks a significant turnaround, showcasing their competitiveness and strategic acumen, particularly with Sainz’s successful undercut.
– Norris’ Frustration: Despite a strong drive, Norris’ podium hopes were dashed by a five-second penalty. The incident highlights the fine line drivers walk when pushing the limits.
– Red Bull’s Mixed Day: Verstappen secured a valuable third place to bolster his championship bid, but Perez’s struggles indicate the team’s inconsistency in extracting performance from both cars.
– Hamilton’s Disappointment: A promising recovery ended abruptly in the gravel, adding to Mercedes’ woes in what has been a challenging season.
As the Formula 1 season continues, the US Grand Prix provided another thrilling chapter, with teams and drivers pushing the limits in their pursuit of glory. The focus now shifts to the next race, where Leclerc and Ferrari will look to build on this momentum, while rivals scramble to close the gap in both the drivers’ and constructors’ standings.
