Ferrari concluded the first part of their American GP trip with two podiums courtesy of Charles Leclerc. In Mexico, the Monegasque driver delivered a solid qualifying and race performance, defending a valuable second place from Max Verstappen, despite the Dutchman being favored in the closing stages due to a Virtual Safety Car. This result proved particularly important for the Constructors’ Championship standings.
Two podiums in a row
The American swing provided Ferrari with two podium finishes, both claimed by Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque driver built another strong weekend, not only in qualifying but also during the race, gaining precious seconds that, with the help of a Virtual Safety Car near the end, proved decisive in defending an excellent second place from Max Verstappen.
Charles Leclerc described the podium as a great surprise, not so much for the events on track that day, but because after the U.S. leg of the season he wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from the following Grands Prix. It’s no secret that the Ferrari is extremely sensitive and operates within a very narrow performance window, making it sometimes difficult even at Maranello to predict the car’s true potential.
Maximizing the car’s potential
When the car operates within the optimal window and can outperform rivals in certain areas, the team can achieve significant results, like today’s podium. Beating McLaren would have been nearly impossible given Lando Norris’ pace in Friday’s race simulations on soft tires. Nevertheless, second place remains a valuable result, especially for the Constructors’ Championship, where Ferrari secured an important points haul.
“I’m very happy with the weekend. The U.S. round was very positive for us, but we didn’t know what to expect here, and finishing on the podium again is a big surprise. I’m really happy,” Charles Leclerc said in post-race interviews, highlighting how impressed he was with the car’s performance over the weekend.
Technical factors behind the podium
The Mexican podium was also influenced by technical factors. Ferrari felt comfortable on the smooth asphalt, with only the central section, featuring high-speed corners and numerous curbs, posing a potential challenge. As this section is medium-speed, an area where the SF-25 usually performs at its best, Ferrari was able to maximize the car’s strengths and achieve the result.
Additionally, the track’s relatively similar and low-speed corners, some sharp and not demanding on the front tires, allowed the team to identify a setup direction with fewer compromises, masking some of the car’s inherent limitations. While the technical side was crucial, execution also played a decisive role. Ferrari believes they interpreted the Mexican scenarios perfectly, taking a particular step forward in qualifying.
Qualifying sets the tone
Securing second place in qualifying proved essential, making the race smoother even after a chaotic start. Leclerc cut the first chicane, maintaining second despite Lewis Hamilton’s protests, as Hamilton believed the move gave Leclerc an advantage, while Leclerc had completed the sequence correctly. Leclerc explained: “There was no space, I did my best to brake as much as I could. Lewis probably didn’t know Max was on the left, and Max probably didn’t know someone was on the right, so we touched. That sent me off track, and I decided to cut because there was another corner after that which would have been very dangerous. I gave the position back to Lando, saw the chaos behind, and focused on my race.”
Building a lead and defending it
From that point on, Leclerc followed his pace, gradually building a margin over his rivals, reaching nearly eighteen seconds over Verstappen at the Dutchman’s pit stop. Verstappen began his recovery, taking advantage of a clear track after the pit stops of four drivers ahead, including Oscar Piastri, and maximizing the soft tire performance.
Verstappen closed the gap lap by lap, ultimately putting himself in a position to challenge for second place with just two laps remaining. Fortunately for Charles Leclerc, a Virtual Safety Car triggered by Carlos Sainz’s spin in the stadium section removed Verstappen’s best chance to attack.
Without that neutralization, defending second place from Verstappen would have been extremely difficult. Leclerc said: “I’m glad the Safety Car came out at the end! My tires were gone, and I saw Max recovering on softs. So I think the Safety Car saved me in the end.”
“We managed to finish ahead of Red Bull, even if helped by the Safety Car. We’re happy with the last two races. I think we executed everything perfectly in these past two weekends, with no regrets. We must continue like this until the end of the season.”
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