Charles Leclerc was ecstatic after securing a dominant victory at the United States Grand Prix, confidently stating that Ferrari is "still targeting the title" following their impressive one-two finish at the Circuit of The Americas.
Starting from P4, Leclerc capitalized on early chaos as Lando Norris, the pole-sitter, went wide during a battle with Max Verstappen, allowing Leclerc to surge into the lead on the opening lap. From there, the 27-year-old delivered a flawless performance to clinch his third win of the season and the eighth of his career.
Reflecting on his race, Leclerc said: "Very happy. It hasn’t been an easy weekend... but I had the confidence that in the race, the feeling would be better, and it was." He praised his team’s upgrades and efforts, which have been paying off since Singapore, contributing to Ferrari’s superior race pace.
Describing the key move at Turn 1, Leclerc said: "It was a pretty good Turn 1! We had a really good lunge... Today I gained from it, and that obviously helped a lot in our first stint because we had a mega pace."
Leclerc emphasized the collective effort, noting the team's exceptional work with pit stops and strategy. The victory marked Ferrari’s first one-two finish in the U.S. in 18 years, and Leclerc proudly acknowledged their title ambitions as they prepare for the remaining five races.
Ferrari’s result in Austin boosts their chances in the constructors' championship, trailing second-place Red Bull by just eight points, while McLaren remains in the lead. In the drivers’ standings, Leclerc holds third place, now 22 points behind Norris in second, as Verstappen continues to lead by 57 points.