Charles Leclerc has declared Ferrari’s ambition to chase down the F1 Constructors’ Championship after a thrilling 1-2 finish at the 2024 United States Grand Prix, setting the stage for a fierce end-of-season fight. Leclerc, starting from P4, capitalized on a dramatic first-corner battle between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris to seize the lead and deliver a dominant victory, with teammate Carlos Sainz securing second place to complete Ferrari’s perfect weekend.
The Scuderia’s stunning performance at the Circuit of the Americas now places them just 48 points behind championship leaders McLaren, with a mere eight points separating them from Red Bull. Leclerc made it clear that Ferrari is aiming for nothing less than the title.
“We’ve got to target winning the constructors’ title,” said a determined Leclerc. “It’s an optimistic goal, but that’s what we are here for. We’ll do the math at the end of the season, but until then, the best thing we can do is focus on ourselves, just like we did this weekend.”
Ferrari’s victory marks a resurgence in their form after a challenging season, and Leclerc emphasized the importance of maintaining this momentum. “It’s been a really good weekend for the team, and we’ll try and reproduce that as often as possible. Hopefully, when we do the math at the end of the year, we’ll have won the constructors’ title.”
Leclerc’s win came after a frustrating Saturday, where Ferrari struggled in the Sprint and qualifying sessions. However, Leclerc’s confidence in his race setup paid off, as the team’s superior pace allowed them to control the race. “It hasn’t been an easy weekend, but I had the confidence that in the race, the feeling would be better. We thought the others would improve more, but we still had the upper hand,” Leclerc said.
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur echoed Leclerc’s optimism, admitting that the team had deliberately focused on their race setup, even if it meant sacrificing their performance in qualifying. “We struggled a bit in qualifying, but we focused on the race because overtaking is possible here. We took a big step forward,” Vasseur explained.
Despite the jubilant result, Vasseur remained cautious about Ferrari’s championship hopes. “There are still five races left and around 200 points available. We can’t think it ends here. We have to stay calm and focused,” he said.
With Ferrari back in the mix and the Constructors’ Championship wide open, the closing stages of the 2024 season promise intense battles as the top teams fight for every point. The victory in Austin has reignited Ferrari’s title ambitions, and Leclerc’s commanding performance signals that the Scuderia is far from done in their quest to end a 16-year title drought.
