Charles Leclerc leads Ferrari domination in Austin as title race tightens

After navigating a handful of twists and turns, much like cars on a racetrack, the excitement was building for the remaining six races — and quite understandably so. There were new race winners, new championship leaders, and, for the first time in a long while, a thrilling fight for the title, with six races and three sprints left before the curtain falls on the 2024 season.

The unfamiliar four-week autumn break had cooled things down, but there were still plenty of discussions in the paddock, including the departure of eight-time race winner Daniel Ricciardo and the scrapping of the fastest lap point from 2025. Despite a lot of off-track chatter, F1 headed to Austin for the United States Grand Prix, the first stop of the triple-header, with all eyes on the battle ahead, as a maximum of 36 points were up for grabs.

It might have felt nostalgic for Max Verstappen to clinch pole position after a 109-day gap, breaking free from a winless streak in his otherwise dominant Red Bull. The defending champion steadily pulled ahead of the pack during the sprint race, finishing atop the podium, most importantly ahead of Lando Norris. There was plenty of on-track action during the 19-lap sprint, setting the stage for a thrilling race on Sunday.

Such is the nature of the Circuit of the Americas, which allows cars to go side-by-side through its wide corners, that it provides numerous opportunities for overtaking. Four teams almost matched each other in pace. Three of them — McLaren, Mercedes, and Red Bull — brought upgrade packages, while Ferrari arrived at the weekend with an unchanged car.

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Perhaps all the Italian team needed was a change of scenery and a chance to rise to the occasion, as the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz left their competitors in the dust, securing a 1-2 finish after nearly seven months. The last time they ascended the top two steps was in Australia, but that time their positions were reversed. At Austin, it was Leclerc who stole the show.

Behind them, a gripping, edge-of-the-seat duel unfolded, bringing the race to life in the closing stages. Norris, who had started from pole, lost a couple of positions on the first lap and did not appear to be hunting down the scarlet cars. Instead, he was on a mission to pass Verstappen in third, no matter the cost. Lap after lap, he chipped away at the six-second gap following the mandatory pit stop, with the racing becoming so aggressive that they went beyond the track limits, which was when Norris finally moved ahead of Verstappen.

However, it wasn’t meant to be, as the British driver was handed a five-second penalty, which dropped him to fourth place and ended McLaren’s 14-race streak of podium finishes. In the end, it was Ferrari that had the final say, joining the two-way battle between Red Bull and McLaren and refusing to throw in the towel just yet.

While the updates brought by the leading teams didn’t yield dividends, Mercedes’ performance told a different story. George Russell seemed to benefit significantly, crossing the line in sixth despite starting from the pit lane after crashing in qualifying.

However his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, had a forgettable outing. The Brit looked strong, and made up several places on the opening lap, only to beach his car in the gravel on the third lap after a huge spin that closely resembled Russell’s incident.

While the weekend in Austin had plenty to offer, the upcoming back-to-back races in Mexico and Brazil may determine whether the drivers’ title is indeed a foregone conclusion, as Norris’ gap to Verstappen has widened to 57 points. Needless to say, the Dutch driver is being pushed to his limits this season, with Norris keeping his foot on the pedal in pursuit of the crown.

MotoGP

Jorge charges ahead

Championship leader Jorge Martin extended his lead over rival Francesco Bagnaia following a decent haul at the Australian Grand Prix. Martin cruised to a dominant victory in the sprint race but was outpaced by Marc Marquez on Sunday in a thrilling finish.

Marquez, who started second, lost several positions on the opening lap due to an unfortunate incident caused by his visor tearing off. The massive wheelspin dropped him to 13th, but he immediately set about making a recovery.

The six-time MotoGP champion did so in quick time and was soon on the tail of race leader Martin. It took Marquez two attempts to pass him and ease to victory by nearly a full second, moving into a clear third place in the drivers’ championship. Bagnaia, who managed third and fourth-place finishes this weekend, finds himself 20 points adrift of Martin.