Ferrari concluded the primary a part of their American GP journey with two podiums courtesy of Charles Leclerc. In Mexico, the Monegasque driver delivered a stable qualifying and race efficiency, defending a invaluable second place from Max Verstappen, regardless of the Dutchman being favored within the closing levels as a consequence of a Digital Security Automobile. This end result proved significantly vital for the Constructors’ Championship standings.
Two podiums in a row
The American swing supplied Ferrari with two podium finishes, each claimed by Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque driver constructed one other robust weekend, not solely in qualifying but in addition throughout the race, gaining treasured seconds that, with the assistance of a Virtual Safety Car close to the top, proved decisive in defending a wonderful second place from Max Verstappen.
Charles Leclerc described the rostrum as an awesome shock, not a lot for the occasions on monitor that day, however as a result of after the U.S. leg of the season he wasn’t fully certain what to anticipate from the next Grands Prix. It’s no secret that the Ferrari is extraordinarily delicate and operates inside a really slender efficiency window, making it generally tough even at Maranello to foretell the automobile’s true potential.
Maximizing the automobile’s potential
When the automobile operates inside the optimum window and might outperform rivals in sure areas, the workforce can obtain important outcomes, like right this moment’s podium. Beating McLaren would have been practically not possible given Lando Norris’ tempo in Friday’s race simulations on delicate tires. Nonetheless, second place stays a invaluable end result, particularly for the Constructors’ Championship, the place Ferrari secured an vital factors haul.
“I’m very proud of the weekend. The U.S. spherical was very constructive for us, however we didn’t know what to anticipate right here, and ending on the rostrum once more is a giant shock. I’m actually pleased,” Charles Leclerc mentioned in post-race interviews, highlighting how impressed he was with the automobile’s efficiency over the weekend.
Technical components behind the rostrum
The Mexican podium was additionally influenced by technical components. Ferrari felt comfy on the sleek asphalt, with solely the central part, that includes high-speed corners and quite a few curbs, posing a possible problem. As this part is medium-speed, an space the place the SF-25 often performs at its greatest, Ferrari was in a position to maximize the automobile’s strengths and obtain the end result.
Moreover, the monitor’s comparatively related and low-speed corners, some sharp and never demanding on the entrance tires, allowed the workforce to determine a setup course with fewer compromises, masking a number of the automobile’s inherent limitations. Whereas the technical facet was essential, execution additionally performed a decisive function. Ferrari believes they interpreted the Mexican eventualities completely, taking a specific step ahead in qualifying.
Qualifying units the tone
Securing second place in qualifying proved important, making the race smoother even after a chaotic begin. Leclerc minimize the primary chicane, sustaining second regardless of Lewis Hamilton’s protests, as Hamilton believed the transfer gave Leclerc a bonus, whereas Leclerc had accomplished the sequence appropriately. Leclerc defined: “There was no house, I did my greatest to brake as a lot as I may. Lewis most likely didn’t know Max was on the left, and Max most likely didn’t know somebody was on the precise, so we touched. That despatched me off monitor, and I made a decision to chop as a result of there was one other nook after that which might have been very harmful. I gave the place again to Lando, noticed the chaos behind, and centered on my race.”
Constructing a lead and defending it
From that time on, Leclerc adopted his tempo, steadily constructing a margin over his rivals, reaching practically eighteen seconds over Verstappen on the Dutchman’s pit cease. Verstappen started his restoration, profiting from a transparent monitor after the pit stops of 4 drivers forward, together with Oscar Piastri, and maximizing the delicate tire efficiency.
Verstappen closed the hole lap by lap, finally placing himself able to problem for second place with simply two laps remaining. Happily for Charles Leclerc, a Digital Security Automobile triggered by Carlos Sainz’s spin within the stadium part eliminated Verstappen’s greatest probability to assault.
With out that neutralization, defending second place from Verstappen would have been extraordinarily tough. Leclerc mentioned: “I’m glad the Security Automobile got here out on the finish! My tires had been gone, and I noticed Max recovering on softs. So I feel the Security Automobile saved me ultimately.”
“We managed to complete forward of Purple Bull, even when helped by the Security Automobile. We’re proud of the final two races. I feel we executed every part completely in these previous two weekends, with no regrets. We should proceed like this till the top of the season.”
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