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Ferrari shines with Leclerc and Sainz in Austin double podium

Charles Leclerc took a commanding victory at the United States Grand Prix, leading a Ferrari one-two with teammate Carlos Sainz in a memorable performance at the Circuit of The Americas.

Por: Rubén Carrillo
Ferrari shines with Leclerc and Sainz in Austin double podium / Photo via F1
Ferrari shines with Leclerc and Sainz in Austin double podium / Photo via F1

The Monegasque driver surged into the lead on the opening lap, capitalizing on a skirmish between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, and maintained his advantage throughout the 56-lap race. 

 

Meanwhile, a tense late-race battle between Norris and Verstappen ended in disappointment for the McLaren driver, who was handed a time penalty that dropped him from third to fourth place.

 

Starting from pole position, Lando Norris looked to have made the perfect getaway when the lights went out. However, as the British driver fought to keep Verstappen at bay into the first corner, he was forced wide, giving Leclerc the opportunity to slip through and snatch the lead. It was a decisive move for the Ferrari driver, who would not relinquish his hold on P1 for the remainder of the race. 

 

Leclerc set a commanding pace at the front, building a comfortable gap as the rest of the field battled for positions behind him.

Ferrari shines with Leclerc and Sainz in Austin double podium / Photo via F1
Ferrari shines with Leclerc and Sainz in Austin double podium / Photo via F1

Carlos Sainz, who started third, was able to stay close to the leading trio, and the Spaniard benefited from a well-timed undercut strategy during his pit stop to leap ahead of Verstappen. With fresher tires, Sainz cemented his second-place position, crossing the line 8.5 seconds behind Leclerc, securing Ferrari’s first one-two finish of the season. 

 

This result marked a significant turnaround for Ferrari, who have struggled with consistency throughout the year but demonstrated their potential with a dominant performance in Austin.

 

While Ferrari enjoyed a successful day, the battle for the final podium position was anything but straightforward. In the closing laps, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen engaged in a fierce duel for third place. 

 

Norris, determined to recover from losing the lead early in the race, made an aggressive move to pass Verstappen. However, Red Bull quickly protested, arguing that Norris had completed the overtake outside the track limits. The stewards agreed, handing Norris a five-second time penalty for gaining an advantage by leaving the track. The penalty dropped Norris to fourth place, allowing Verstappen to claim the final spot on the podium.

Ferrari shines with Leclerc and Sainz in Austin double podium / Photo via F1
Ferrari shines with Leclerc and Sainz in Austin double podium / Photo via F1

Meanwhile, George Russell delivered a strong recovery drive for Mercedes, climbing from the pit lane to finish sixth. Russell had been forced to start from the back after his team made changes to his car following a heavy crash in qualifying, but he showcased his resilience by steadily making his way through the field.

 

Sergio Pérez took seventh for Red Bull, adding valuable points to the team’s championship campaign, while Nico Hülkenberg finished eighth for Haas, a positive result for the American team on home soil. Liam Lawson, making his return to the grid for Red Bull, impressed with a ninth-place finish, earning two points on his first weekend back in action. 

 

Kevin Magnussen narrowly missed out on points in P11 for Haas, while Pierre Gasly finished 12th for Alpine, ahead of Fernando Alonso, who struggled to make an impact in his Aston Martin, ending the race in 13th place. Yuki Tsunoda finished 14th for Red Bull after a spin earlier in the race derailed his chances of a higher position. Lance Stroll, also struggling with pace, ended 15th for Aston Martin, ahead of Alex Albon in 16th on what was a disappointing 100th race start for the Williams driver.

Ferrari shines with Leclerc and Sainz in Austin double podium / Photo via F1
Ferrari shines with Leclerc and Sainz in Austin double podium / Photo via F1

Further back, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu of Sauber were unable to score points, finishing in P17 and P19 respectively.

 

Esteban Ocon, who claimed the fastest lap of the race to steal a point from Colapinto, slotted into P18 for Alpine, sandwiching himself between the two Saubers.

 

The race’s only retirement came from seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who spun off track and beached his Mercedes in the gravel on Lap 3, bringing an early end to his campaign. It was a frustrating conclusion for Hamilton, who had made a strong start, but his incident triggered the deployment of the Safety Car, adding an extra layer of drama to the early stages of the race.

Ferrari shines with Leclerc and Sainz in Austin double podium / Photo via F1
Ferrari shines with Leclerc and Sainz in Austin double podium / Photo via F1

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