Charles Leclerc disappointed with second place? Why Fred Vasseur likes it

Charles Leclerc finished second in the F1 Grand Prix in Austin, securing vital points for himself in the battle for the runners-up spot in the Drivers’ Championship and for his team, Ferrari, in the Constructors’ Championship. A top result – one of the best of the season. Yet the Monegasque didn’t exactly sound over the moon on the team radio as he crossed the finish line. What was going on?

Leclerc (Ferrari) had his sights set on victory

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur said: “Very early on in the race, Charles had his sights set on first place. And when you’re in second place and aiming for first, you’re not happy.” Despite starting from fourth on the grid following a disappointing qualifying session (Ferrari had previously led every single session), Leclerc was fighting for victory and had high hopes. He eventually crossed the line 13 seconds behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli.

Ferrari scoring points consistently

A minor setback – but a positive sign for Vasseur. The Frenchman explains: “I like this feeling. To be honest, I think it’s a good result for us at the end of the weekend. For the third or fourth time in a row, we’re the team that’s scored the most points.” Even though it cost them points at the very top – Ferrari have both drivers consistently and both high up in the standings.

Vasseur therefore sums it up: “I think we’re on the right track. But of course, you can also feel a bit frustrated when you feel you’ve been in good form all weekend and then end up in second place. But frustration is sometimes a good thing. And we’ll cope well with tonight’s frustration, because I think we’ve performed well overall as a team.”

Ferrari on course for F1 runners-up spot

Ferrari is comfortably on course for second place in the Constructors’ Championship. Barring any major upsets, the Scuderia should find it very difficult to be pipped to the runners-up spot. And the two drivers, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, are both right in the thick of the battle for second place in the Drivers’ Championship (see below for the full standings).

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