Charles Leclerc – Carlos Sainz, what a triumph in USA GP: Red Bull and McLaren 20 seconds behind
Yesterday at 07:00 PM
It was about time. A Ferrari that dominates so decisively on one of the most challenging tracks in the 2024 Formula 1 world championship is an amazing piece of news at the end of an equally amazing race for the Maranello team. Charles Leclerc won the United States Grand Prix with a brilliant move at the first corner when he surged past Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, who were tussling for the lead and found themselves outsmarted by Ferrari. Perhaps they thought during that initial lap that overtaking the Monegasque driver would be a matter of a few hundred meters. Instead, Charles Leclerc pulled away relentlessly, as Max Verstappen had done in the first part of the 2024 Formula 1 season, and as McLaren had after the summer break. With each attack attempt from Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc responded and gained a little ground. This went on for about ten laps until the Dutchman realized there was nothing he could do and backed off, focusing only on keeping Lando Norris, his championship rival, behind him. So much so that even Carlos Sainz, by pitting early, overtook him without much trouble. At that point, it became clear to everyone that Ferrari was heading for a quick and triumphant stroll. And so it was.
Was Austin a track for Ferrari? Theoretically, not so much. It was more suited for McLaren. But in this Formula 1 championship filled with constant surprises, Ferrari’s return to the top was inevitable once the updates from the last few races started working. Charles Leclerc, for his part, showed that when he has a winning car, no one can stop him. And Carlos Sainz, with an equally masterful race, demonstrated the huge gap he will leave in Maranello, regardless of what Lewis Hamilton may do.
With a Ferrari this fast and complete, there will be plenty of excitement in the remaining five races, without dwelling on missed opportunities, because progress always involves difficult moments. What matters is finding the right path and not losing it again, because the triumph at the 5.513-kilometre Circuit of The Americas in Austin — in Maranello’s most important market — must be seen in the context of the 2025 Formula 1 season, when the goal must surely be the world title. Leaving Red Bull and McLaren behind by about twenty seconds is a show of strength that no one could have predicted beforehand. And in this, one cannot overlook the rebalancing of values that the FIA has decreed, bringing order to cars with variable ride heights, flexible wings, and asymmetric braking. Something has changed, perhaps not coincidentally. Now, the FIA must change the way it handles on-track battles between drivers, with ridiculous positions to be returned and millimeter-wide exits from white lines — penalized — all subjective matters that allowed Max Verstappen, in third place, to get the better of Lando Norris, taking more points for the championship. The Red Bull driver did a great job, but Lando Norris is still not ready for a world title fight. And to fix that, he will need to work more on his mindset than on his talent.
— see video above —
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