Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc stunned the Formula 1 world with a remarkable victory at the United States Grand Prix, defeating championship leader Max Verstappen on raw pace. But despite the impressive win, Leclerc has conceded that his chances of winning the 2024 F1 World Championship remain slim.
Currently sitting third in the championship standings, Leclerc is 79 points behind Verstappen, while Lando Norris trails the Dutchman by 57 points. With just five races left in the season, Leclerc acknowledged that he would need a stroke of luck to bridge the gap, but also emphasized that relying on luck alone isn’t the way forward in Formula 1.
“Even if we do everything perfectly, I feel it will require a little bit of luck to try and get that title,” Leclerc said after his US GP victory. “But we cannot rely on luck.”
Leclerc admitted that the drivers’ championship seems increasingly out of reach, though he is not giving up hope until it’s mathematically impossible to challenge Verstappen and Norris for the crown.
“The drivers’ title seems quite unlikely,” the Ferrari star added. “But again, I’ll believe in it until it’s mathematically impossible. It’s trickier, but we’ll keep pushing.”
Ferrari’s resurgence at the US GP marked their first 1-2 finish in the States since 2006, and the momentum has rejuvenated their title ambitions—particularly in the constructors’ championship. Leclerc believes that if Ferrari maintains perfection in the remaining races, they could still snatch the constructors’ title away from McLaren, who are currently ahead in the standings.
For the constructors’, if we do everything perfect until the end of the season, no matter what McLaren does, if we do better than them, I think we can still clinch that title,” Leclerc said optimistically.
Ferrari’s recent form, particularly their performance in Austin, has sparked hopes of a late-season surge. The Scuderia is now eyeing second place in the constructors’ standings, with the Tifosi eagerly anticipating a fierce battle against McLaren in the final races of 2024. Whether Ferrari can sustain this momentum and mount a real challenge in both championships remains to be seen, but for now, Leclerc remains determined to fight until the very end.
