Fred Vasseur watched his drivers come home third and fourth at the end of a mixed weekend in Austin, with Charles Leclerc scoring Ferrari\u2019s first podium since Belgium.<\/p>\n
The Scuderia are embroiled in a tight fight with Red Bull<\/a> and Mercedes<\/a> for second in the Constructors\u2019 Championship, and Vasseur has vowed to \u201cfight until the last minute\u201d which was evidenced by the bold strategy calls the team made at the Circuit of The Americas.<\/p>\n Leclerc<\/a> was the only driver in the top 10 to risk starting on the soft tyres on Sunday, and he put those to good use from third on the grid to overtake Lando Norris for P2 in the opening corners.<\/p>\n Although he ultimately lost out to the McLaren, Leclerc did more than enough to finish on the podium, and made life difficult for Norris by twice forcing him to pass on track to re-take P2.<\/p>\n \u201cWe [have] three teams in 10 points, something like this,\u201d Vasseur said after the race, addressing the battle for P2 in the Constructors’.<\/p>\n \u201cMax [Verstappen] is scoring big points each weekend, but the most important is the addition of the two cars. Let’s be focused until the end. Let’s try to get the best of what we have.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it’s a good feeling to be back on the podium, to be back with the two cars. We will fight until the last minute.\u201d<\/p>\n On Leclerc\u2019s soft tyre start, Vasseur was quick to shut down any suggestions that the strategy had been a \u201cgamble\u201d. Instead, he highlighted that the decision was part of an aggressive Ferrari strategy to go all out for victory.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a bet more than a gamble. I’m not sure if the others were going for medium-hard or medium-soft, but… it’s also the best option for us to be P1 and up on P1. And we tried to do it. But… it’s not a gamble,\u201d he reiterated.<\/p>\n Leclerc drove a defensive masterclass in Austin to keep Norris at bay for lap after lap, eventually yielding only when his soft tyres were close to the end of their lifespan. He was ably backed up by Lewis Hamilton<\/a> too, who came home fourth, to match his season\u2019s best Grand Prix finish.<\/p>\n \u201cHe had a very strong pace from the beginning of the weekend. Except Q3, perhaps SQ3, but the pace was there from the beginning. The pace was there the last couple of weekends also,\u201d Vasseur added.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s the first time that we are doing a decent weekend, putting everything together without mistakes. It’s been good from the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n