One fact that emerged from the United States Grand Prix is clear: Ferrari was the big surprise in Austin. Charles Leclerc, after a flawless start that saw him outmaneuver Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, took the race lead and held it to the finish line, securing an unexpected win in Texas, Ferrari’s first since 2018. Starting fourth, the Monegasque built his victory with a decisive move at Turn 1, capitalizing on the clash among the front-row drivers to take the lead, managing the race, the tires, and various scenarios perfectly. This confirmed Ferrari as the car to beat, further evidenced by Carlos Sainz finishing second.
Charles Leclerc thus captured his eighth career victory and third of the season, while the Scuderia claimed its fourth win of the 2024 Formula 1 campaign. This validates the Maranello team’s progress, particularly with no car changes introduced in Austin—only maximizing the potential of the existing package and the wing brought in at Singapore—even as the SF-24 still struggles with qualifying pace. This issue is not critical, though; thanks to developments from Monza, Ferrari has become the best car in tire management, as demonstrated in Texas, where the Ferrari drivers encountered no tire issues despite aggressive race strategies—a strength that could prove beneficial in the season’s final stretch.
Ferrari has now closed the Constructors’ Championship gap with Red Bull to eight points and trails McLaren, previously seeming out of reach, by 48 points. This opens up scenarios that were unimaginable before the Texas race, with Ferrari now having a chance to win more races before the 2024 Formula 1 season ends and perhaps even bring home the Constructors’ title, which they haven’t held since 2008. Given the way the season started, this would mark a remarkable achievement.
This hope is shared by the entire team, fans, and drivers alike, as discussed by Leo Turrini on his blog “Profondo Rosso.” The well-known Italian journalist and F1 specialist emphasized that Ferrari’s progress is not due to FIA actions against McLaren’s flexing rear wings or Red Bull’s T-Tray adjustments but is rather the result of genuine improvement driven by new ideas, new methods, and meticulous work across the Sporting Division.
“For me, ‘Mexico and clouds’ signifies the reawakened Ferrari dream. I say this quietly, without aiming to convince anyone. I disagree with those who attribute Ferrari’s resurgence to FIA’s moves against McLaren and Red Bull’s wings. […] If that were the explanation, it would imply, well, that Maranello deserves no credit. That would be unfair to everyone, from Fred Vasseur on down. This is the contradiction of Ferrari conspiracy theorists: if we’re at the top or near it only because others have stopped cheating (so to speak), then there’s no real growth happening in our Racing Division. […] I want to believe instead that this revival—hopefully enduring—is the result of method, policy, culture, and perhaps even philosophy.” – the Italian journalist explained.
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