Sunday Debrief: Leclerc leads a Ferrari 1-2 in Austin while Verstappen and Norris scrap for championship points

Charles Leclerc had a brilliant start in the US Grand Prix coming from fourth to move into the lead of the race before taking victory at the end of the 56 laps. Sainz followed his teammate to make it a Ferrari 1-2 in the US.

 

Sprint

 

Verstappen lined up on pole for the first time since Austria for Saturdays Sprint at the Circuit of the Americas. Alongside Verstappen on the front row was Russell in the Mercedes. Colapinto on his second 4thrace weekend in Formula One took P10, while his teammate Alex Albon only qualified P18 but started the sprint from P20 after his Williams was taken out of Parc Fermé.

 

Going into turn 1, Verstappen bolted off the line with an excellent start, while Russell was slow to get his Mercedes off the line, allowing Norris to come from behind to overtake from P4, moving up into P2, a crucial move in his championship battle.

 

The two Ferrari’s battled each other from behind in P4 and 5, Leclerc leading for the Ferrari team. Sainz tangling with his teammate, was finally able to clear him on lap 5, as Leclerc went off wide. Sainz now free off his teammate chased after the slower Mercedes of George Russell and catching on lap 10, Leclerc making the same move as his teammate on lap 11 to move up into P4. Russell while being passed by both Ferrari’s complaining that his front left tyres were “toast”.

 

On lap 12, Tsunoda and Perez battle it out for P9, both drivers fighting for the final available points and to prove themselves worthy of the 2025 Red Bull seat. Piastri catching up on the battle and was forced off the track in the battle with Tsunoda. The team ordering Tsunoda to give the place back, but Tsunoda refused, in the end it was taken to the stewards who decided no further action was necessary, Piastri was able to make it past Tsunoda on lap 16. Piastri was handed a 5-second time penalty in the race for forcing Gasly off the track, Piastri finishing the race outside the points.

 

With Russell fallen behind, Hamilton was able to catch up with his teammate by lap 17, Hamilton gaining a second per lap on his teammate. With Hamilton on his tail, Russell was told to “keep it nice and clean”.

The Ferrari’s with strong pace in the sprint, caught up to the back of Norris with two laps left in the race. Norris not wanting to lose any points in this title fight, locked up into turn 1 on the final lap allowing Sainz to swoop past, Norris nearly repeating the mistake at turn 12 when he locked up again, Norris staying ahead of Leclerc this time. With the chequered flag moments away, Leclerc nearly put an end to his and Norris’s race, tapping the back of the McLaren.

 

As the came to cross the line, Verstappen took victory, followed by Sainz and Norris who was just able to keep his car in the race. Perez dancing on the edge of the points was unable to score any, beaten out by both Haas drivers.

 

Qualifying

 

For Sunday’s race, it was Norris this time to put his car on pole, followed by Verstappen on the front row. The two Ferrari’s with excellent pace this weekend occupied the second row.

 

At the back of the grid was Liam Lawson, as he returned to F1 replacing Ricciardo for the remainder of the season. Lawson taking a grid penalty this weekend to start in P20. Ahead of him was Russell, who started from the pit lane after the team had to repair his car with damage after a crash in the closing stages of qualifying. Hamilton with a shocking qualifying was unable to make it out of Q1 and started P18, behind the Sauber of Zhou.

 

Race

 

Norris was quick to get off the line, but it was Verstappen who was ahead going into turn 1, but neither of them would lead the race after turn 1 as Leclerc swopped past the pair after the pair went wide. Verstappen staying behind, while Norris dropped back to P4. In the midfield Esteban Ocon had a spin, dropping him back to the back of the grid.

 

Hamilton with a solid start moved up from P18 to P12 on the opening lap, but it wasn’t long before disaster struck. On Lap 2, Hamilton sent his car off into the gravel all on his own, beaching his Mercedes and ending his race. Hamilton bringing out the first safety car since the Canadian Grand Prix.

The race resumed on lap 5, Leclerc setting off, but Verstappen did well to anticipate, sticking to the Ferrari as the race resumed.  

 

Leclerc holding onto the lead was 7 seconds clear of Verstappen by lap 17. Sainz was the first of the top 5 to come into the pits on lap 22, hoping to perform an undercut on Verstappen. Verstappen responded on lap 26, the undercut working as Verstappen comes out behind the Ferrari. Leclerc pitted from the lead on lap 27, leaving the two McLaren’s to inherit the lead, led by Norris. Leclerc re-joining P3 ahead of his teammate and Verstappen.

 

Leclerc caught up with the McLaren on Piastri on lap 29, the McLaren’s yet to pit in the race, Leclerc with fresher tyres sweeping past Piastri and up into P2 on lap 31, before inheriting the lead on lap 32 as Norris comes into pit, returning to the track in P5 behind Verstappen.

 

Lawson on his first weekend replacing Ricciardo put in a stellar first stint, coming in to pit on lap 38. Lawson returning to the track in P12 ahead of his teammate Tsunoda. Tsunoda confused, asking over the team radio “ how’s this happened”.

 

Russell was the last of the drivers to come into the pits on lap 41, moving up from P19 to P6. Russell serving a 5-second time penalty as he came in after he got a penalty on lap 16 for forcing Bottas off track, with the penalty Russell re-joined in P6. Russell not the only driver to get a penalty in this race, Gasly receiving one on lap 33 for leaving the track and gaining an advantage along with Norris and Tsunoda for forcing another car off track.

 

By Lap 45, Norris was back in reach of Verstappen. Norris within DRS was unable to get past Verstappen, the two scrapping away but Verstappen placing his car in the right place at the right time to stay ahead. By Lap 52 the pair went wide as Norris moved up into P3, the stewards choosing to give Norris a 5-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage. In the end Norris finished 4-seconds clear of Verstappen but moved down into P4 with the penalty.

 

As they came to take the chequered flag, Leclerc was first to take the flag, followed by his teammate. The Ferrari drivers proving they are the ones to watch in these closing stages of the season, as Sainz finished in P2 to make it a Ferrari 1-2. Verstappen benefiting from Norris’s penalty to cross the line in fourth but move up to P3. Special mention for Colapinto, who proved himself to be the right decision from Williams as he put in another stella race for Williams, finishing ahead of his teammate in the points in P10, Albon crossing the line back in P16.