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Charles Leclerc finally left Austin with a smile. The Ferrari driver secured his first podium in six races — a welcome reward after a turbulent period filled with rumors surrounding the Scuderia.
Turmoil inside Ferrari
The second half of the season has been far from easy for Ferrari. As results failed to meet expectations, reports emerged of internal tension and potential changes at the top. Even former Red Bull team boss Christian Horner was linked to a possible move to Maranello.
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Ferrari president John Elkann was forced to publicly reaffirm his support for team principal Frédéric Vasseur, who recently signed a new multi-year deal. Vasseur himself downplayed the speculation. “Elkann’s words weren’t meant for me,” he said in Austin. “They were more for people outside the team.”
A podium after the chaos
Despite the off-track noise, Leclerc managed to reset in Texas. In an intense battle with Lando Norris, the Monegasque driver clinched third place — his first podium since the summer break. “I’m very happy,” Leclerc told international media after the race. “We started
the weekend with gearbox issues, which cost us valuable time. But we improved step by step, and in the race, everything finally came together.”
“A lot of what was said simply wasn’t true”
Leclerc admitted that the podium carried extra meaning given the backdrop of speculation. “There’s been a lot of talk lately, but much of it simply wasn’t true,” he said firmly. “Still, we stayed focused as a team, and this podium shows what we can achieve when we work together.”
Ferrari fighting back
Leclerc’s third-place finish brought Ferrari right back into contention for second place in the Constructors’ Championship — now just ten points behind Red Bull and Mercedes. Personally, Leclerc still has something to fight for as well: he currently sits fifth in the Drivers’ standings and is determined to finish the season on a high.
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