Charles Leclerc started in third place with the Ferrari, while Lewis Hamilton lined up in fifth place on the grid. After a challenging Friday session, which had seen several complications, the weekend in Austin began to show significant improvement thanks to two main factors that positively influenced Ferrari’s performance. The first factor involved key setup adjustments that the team had implemented, which noticeably enhanced the balance, traction, and overall compromise of the SF-25 chassis, giving the car a more stable and predictable handling throughout the corners. The second factor was tire management, which, for once, the Maranello team executed with precision and intelligence. This allowed both drivers to make the most of the tires’ performance across different stints. A solid and consistent race performance was essential to maintain momentum after a difficult start to the weekend, and with this objective in mind, here’s the detailed on-board breakdown of the Austin Grand Prix.
So let’s take a detailed look at how events unfolded for the Maranello team’s drivers at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas. During the formation lap, both Ferrari cars carried out a cautious and carefully controlled warm-up to prevent transferring excessive energy into the tire tread, which could have led to overheating or early degradation. Car number 16 was fitted with a fresh set of Soft tires, specifically chosen to provide maximum grip at the start and allow for an aggressive opening attack by exploiting the additional traction. Meanwhile, car number 44 was equipped with Hard tires, creating a diversified strategy for Ferrari and giving the team options for different race scenarios.
When the lights went out on the starting grid, Charles Leclerc immediately overtook Lando Norris, taking advantage of the extra grip from his Soft tires and a strong launch from the grid. Lewis Hamilton also got away cleanly, following closely behind his teammate and gaining a position on George Russell, who started just ahead. Max Verstappen, however, demonstrated his superior pace and experience, quickly pulling a gap of approximately two seconds on the leading group in the opening laps. Behind the number 16 Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton tried to stay close to Lando Norris’ McLaren, maintaining a competitive distance. The second and third sectors of the Circuit of the Americas proved particularly challenging for Charles Leclerc in the early stages, as these high-speed sections demanded precision, optimal tire management, and perfect traction out of the corners.
The McLaren MCL39 showed a slightly superior pace and closely followed the Ferrari’s exhaust, applying pressure on Charles Leclerc and testing the Ferrari driver’s defensive skills. Lando Norris attempted to force a pass, looking for any opportunity to exploit a small mistake, but the Italian car perfectly closed the racing line and defended its position flawlessly. Lewis Hamilton tried to capitalize on the battle ahead, attempting to gain a position, but he was unable to get close enough to challenge the British McLaren driver. Ferrari race engineer Riccardo Adami praised the Briton’s careful tire management, noting that he was following all the radio instructions and planned strategies scrupulously, showing excellent focus and discipline under pressure.
Charles Leclerc successfully repelled the first attack from Lando Norris, while the McLaren driver gained a few meters behind him. The traction of the Ferrari SF-25 was strong, and its top speed on the straights was impressive, both crucial characteristics for performing well at this particular track in Austin, where long straights and tight corners require an optimal compromise between speed and stability. By lap seven, Bryan Bozzi, the Ferrari strategy engineer, requested an increase in tire protection to prolong the lifespan of the Soft tires. Shortly after, the Virtual Safety Car was deployed due to an issue with Carlos Sainz’s car, offering a temporary pause to the race action.
The SF-25 pace remains strong and consistent
The safety car period proved particularly valuable for Charles Leclerc’s Soft tires, allowing them to “breathe” and cool slightly, which preserved their optimal performance. From the pit wall, the team advised staying out on track rather than taking an early stop, emphasizing the importance of maintaining track position while protecting the tires. Meanwhile, Ferrari race engineer Bryan Bozzi suggested that Charles could improve acceleration through turns 19 and 20 by anticipating the throttle application slightly earlier, helping to maximize traction and preserve tire performance. Three laps later, the race restarted, with Bryan Bozzi reminding Charles that they were currently operating under Plan B strategy.
By lap 12, thanks to the slower pace under the safety car, Charles Leclerc’s tires were in optimal condition, ready to resume competitive racing. Lewis Hamilton had also adopted the Plan B approach, albeit with some operational differences tailored to his Hard tires, showing the adaptability of both Ferrari drivers in executing race strategies. The Briton was particularly active on the radio, requesting detailed information on driving style adjustments and tire management to ensure he could preserve the performance of his Hard tires over the next stint.
By lap 15, Lando Norris once again appeared in Charles Leclerc’s mirrors, threatening to overtake him, while Max Verstappen extended his lead to around five seconds over the Monegasque driver. Despite the McLaren showing a slightly faster overall pace, Lando Norris could not yet convert his performance advantage into a successful overtaking maneuver, remaining close to the Ferrari but unable to pass. The attack was intensifying, but Charles defended his position with determination and precise driving. Behind Lewis Hamilton, Oscar Piastri was running approximately 4.5 seconds behind, with a slightly slower pace compared to his teammate Lando Norris. Two laps later, Norris attempted another overtaking maneuver, which was again successfully repelled by Charles Leclerc. The Soft tires were holding up remarkably well, lasting about twenty laps, while Lewis Hamilton maintained a gap of approximately 1.5 seconds behind, reporting some understeer issues that needed careful management.
Lando Norris finally overtakes Charles Leclerc
By lap 22, Lando Norris’ overtake became unavoidable. The Pirelli Soft tires on car number 16 began to show signs of degradation, forcing Charles Leclerc to yield the position to preserve the tires for the remainder of the race. Two laps later, Lewis Hamilton attempted to overtake his teammate but was unsuccessful as Charles defended effectively. Consequently, the former Alfa Romeo driver was called in for a pit stop, fitting a fresh set of Medium tires. He rejoined the race in ninth place, behind Nico Hülkenberg, who had yet to make his stop.
Leclerc had initially wanted to push immediately after losing the position, but the pit wall advised patience to avoid unnecessarily stressing the tires. Charles requested live updates on the lap times of his closest rivals and, once he found clean air, he realized that Lando Norris was no longer faster than him after the pit stops.
By mid-race, Charles Leclerc’s car number 16 had caught up to Nico Hülkenberg’s Sauber, overtaking it easily on the long S2 straight without significant resistance. Lewis Hamilton, not having pitted yet, was five seconds behind Lando Norris, unable to match his McLaren’s pace but successfully keeping Oscar Piastri at a distance of roughly four seconds. Charles continued his determined comeback, catching up to Oliver Bearman’s Haas, setting up another overtaking opportunity.
The pass on the Haas was smooth and controlled through the high-speed section of S2. The next target for the Ferrari driver was Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull, a more challenging opponent due to the Japanese driver’s defensive skills. However, in the acceleration following turn 12, the SF-25 prevailed, overtaking the RB21 with strong traction and precise maneuvering. George Russell’s Mercedes remained seven seconds ahead as the next major obstacle, while Lewis Hamilton managed his tires carefully using lift-and-coast techniques.
Ferrari fights to secure second place
Charles Leclerc’s recovery pace was remarkable. In clear air, Bryan Bozzi emphasized the importance of maintaining a consistent lap time to maximize tire life and overall performance. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton’s tires began to degrade, making a pit stop on lap 31 necessary. Hamilton switched to Soft tires and made a small adjustment to the front-end load, ensuring the car remained balanced and stable for the final stint. His pit stop, like Leclerc’s earlier maneuvers, was executed cautiously to prevent any unnecessary risk.
The stop also neutralized Oscar Piastri’s attempted undercut, leaving Lewis Hamilton in sixth place behind Nico Hülkenberg, who had not yet changed his tires. On the following lap, Lando Norris also switched to Soft tires, positioning himself about 3.5 seconds behind Charles Leclerc, who reclaimed second place on track.
During this phase of the race, Lewis Hamilton showed excellent pace, extending his gap to six seconds over Oscar Piastri. However, Lando Norris’ pace was clearly superior, reigniting the battle for second place with Charles Leclerc on lap 39, with the Englishman remaining directly behind the Ferrari. Bozzi advised against overly aggressive resistance, but Charles ignored the instruction and continued to defend fiercely. Shortly thereafter, Bozzi recommended a gentler traction approach through turns 14 and 15 to protect the tires and maintain stability.
Norris attempted a serious attack over three laps but then slowed slightly to cool his overheating tires. After four laps, the gap between Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris had grown to nearly three seconds. The Monegasque pushed his SF-25 to the maximum, determined to retain second place and cross the finish line on the podium.
Lando Norris proves too fast to beat
The seven-time world champion operated in a balanced position: not fast enough to catch the leading duo of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, but still faster than Oscar Piastri, effectively managing the gap and preserving his tires. Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, had to contend with Lando Norris, who after managing his tire performance launched a decisive and fully committed attack.
The battle intensified, and Lando Norris ultimately prevailed, overtaking Charles Leclerc. The Ferrari driver attempted a response but was unable to execute it: the McLaren MCL39’s pace proved superior over the final laps, and the Ferrari driver had to accept the result. Despite this, Ferrari deserves significant praise for salvaging a weekend that had started on a difficult note.
The SF-25 demonstrated strong competitiveness, with Lewis Hamilton successfully keeping Oscar Piastri’s McLaren behind him, while Charles Leclerc climbed onto the podium after a full-race battle with Lando Norris. This was an important and satisfying result following a series of disappointing performances in previous races. Ferrari returned home from Austin with a sense of accomplishment, confident that this approach with the SF-25—careful tire management, strategic setup adjustments, and precise race execution—is the right path to achieving strong results in future Grands Prix.
And you? What do you think about how Ferrari performed at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas? Let us know with a comment at the end of the article or on our social media channels: Facebook Group / Facebook Page / Instagram / X (former Twitter) and TikTok.
