So, the United States Grand Prix brought plenty of drama and a few headaches for the Scuderia. Lewis Hamilton brought his machine home in fourth place at the Circuit of The Americas, while team mate Charles Leclerc claimed a second podium result in a row by charging to second on the road.
Expectations had been sky-high in Austin after Ferrari rolled out fresh upgrades, and the anticipation only grew when Leclerc and Hamilton topped Friday and Saturday’s practice sessions respectively. But qualifying painted a different picture. Their rivals upped their game, leaving the pair to start Sunday’s race in fourth and fifth behind the two Red Bulls, while Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli sealed an impressive pole position.
I enjoyed the first lap with Max. I enjoyed later on, as well, with Lando and Max again and that was nice. The pace was quite strong as well.
When the lights went out, Antonelli’s launch sent him toward a dominant victory executed entirely on a one-stop strategy. Meanwhile, the Ferrari duo immediately waded into the chaos. They swarmed Isack Hadjar before pressing Max Verstappen, with Leclerc briefly finding a way past before the Dutchman snatched second back. As the race developed and both Ferrari and Red Bull locked into two-stop strategies, Leclerc fought back to pass Verstappen for second late on. Hamilton, however, missed out on the podium altogether.
The seven-time World Champion was candid about what held him back, pointing straight to the handling of his car. “Yeah, I mean, I didn't have a new tyre to start on, so it put me a bit on the back foot compared to the cars ahead of me,” he explained after the race. “So, I had a little bit more deg in that first stint than they did. A new tyre to a used tyre is about two seconds of race pace so I lost that in the first stint. But just balance was my biggest issue – balance was off. But I think the team did a great job in the stops and the strategy.”
Hamilton also admitted that he needs to unlock more pace by nailing the set-up earlier in the weekend. Comparing the struggles to earlier rounds like Silverstone, he noted that differences in front wing left him unable to turn the car properly compared to his garage neighbor. Yet he remained encouraged by the points haul, keeping Ferrari ahead of McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship.
Leclerc, on the other hand, was all smiles after a thoroughly entertaining afternoon of wheel-to-wheel combat. “I mean it was a good race and I enjoyed the race,” he said. “I enjoyed the first lap with Max. I enjoyed later on, as well, with Lando and Max again and that was nice. The pace was quite strong as well.” While Mercedes pulled off a masterclass with their one-stop strategy that others didn't seriously consider, Leclerc felt confident it wouldn't have altered the ultimate finishing order.
With recent upgrades pushing the car in a direction he clearly enjoys, Leclerc feels the team is carrying genuine momentum into the final stretch of the season. Time will tell how the package translates to different tracks over the coming weeks, but the optimism in the camp is palpable.
