Charles Leclerc excels with DHL Fastest Lap and P2 in Austin

On lap 42 of the U.S. Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc set the DHL Fastest Lap and, six laps later, went on to snatch second place from Max Verstappen. But let’s tell the story in sequence…

At the start, Leclerc squeezed past Verstappen in the S-curves, but the four-time F1 champion soon countered, reclaiming second place in turn 15. Kimi Antonelli was busy building a comprehensive lead at the front, while behind him, Leclerc and Verstappen were engaged in a thrilling battle for second place that raged for the full length of the race.

When Verstappen pitted for his first stop on lap 13, Leclerc followed him a few laps later. With a second pit stop in mind, both drivers picked up the pace. On lap 40, Leclerc pitted one last time, then set out to chase down Verstappen.

On fresher tires, he set the DHL Fastest Lap with a time of 1:37.976 minutes – just two laps after his pit stop – and easily overtook Verstappen in the braking zone on lap 49. Leclerc’s spirited performance in Austin secured him a second consecutive P2 finish. He is now fifth in the drivers’ standings with five race weekends remaining in the season – assuming the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi take place as planned.

“It was a fun race and I really enjoyed it,” said Leclerc afterwards. “Particularly the start and the battle with Max on lap 1, and later on with Lando and Max again. Our pace was quite strong, and our strategy was good, but it was not enough for the win today.”