Charles Leclerc has reflected on his spectacular battle with Max Verstappen at the United States Grand Prix, describing the Red Bull driver as “an animal” on track after the pair exchanged positions in an exciting opening-lap fight at Austin. The Ferrari driver ultimately came out on top later in the race, passing Max Verstappen again to secure second place.
The duel highlighted not only the ability of two of Formula 1’s leading drivers but also the respect between them. Both pushed the limits in their wheel-to-wheel fight while keeping their moves clean, producing one of the most entertaining battles of the Austin race.
Charles Leclerc shows his class in Austin battle with Max Verstappen
Charles Leclerc made an excellent start in Austin and immediately went on the attack, challenging Max Verstappen around the outside through the sweeping sequence of corners in the first sector. It was a bold overtake that required both courage and creativity from the Ferrari driver.
Max Verstappen, however, was not prepared to simply accept losing the position. At Turn 15, the Dutchman fought back, catching Charles Leclerc by surprise on the inside and reclaiming second place behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
The fight was particularly exciting because it demonstrated both the talent and the mutual respect between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen, with the pair remaining clean throughout their manoeuvres. In the end, however, it was Charles Leclerc who prevailed: towards the closing stages of the Grand Prix, the Ferrari driver passed his rival again and took second place. The full finishing order is available in the 2026 United States Grand Prix results.
The changes in their running positions across the race can also be explored through the F1 Race Position & Progression Tracker, which shows how drivers moved through the order lap by lap.
Charles Leclerc: ‘Max is an animal, but I…’
Speaking to Dutch broadcaster Viaplay, Charles Leclerc reflected on his battle with Max Verstappen: “I knew it was going to be a close battle. Max is an animal and sometimes, when I close the visor, I feel like I can be one too. And that is exactly what makes it all so exciting, because I know he won’t leave me much space, and I will do the same with him.”
Charles Leclerc then explained how the situation developed after his opening move and why defending against Max Verstappen became difficult once the Ferrari’s available battery energy had been depleted.
“Finding myself ahead of him after those first corners was nice, but then he surprised me at Turn 15. I don’t think I would have been able to keep him behind because my battery was almost empty and, in any case, I would have struggled to keep him behind later on. But yes, at Turn 15 he surprised me. Did you enjoy the battle? I enjoyed it too,” Charles Leclerc concluded with a smile.
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