Leclerc conflicted despite US Grand Prix podium recovery

Charles Leclerc conceded to feeling mixed emotions after recovering from 12th to finish on the podium at the United States Grand Prix.

The Ferrari driver had qualified second at the Circuit of the Americas but was relegated to 12th on the grid after the team opted to fit a fresh internal combustion engine and turbocharger to his car.

Addressing his drive to third, Leclerc said: “[I'm] satisfied in a way because we started P12 so a podium is a good achievement.

"But looking at the race it’s obviously a little bit disappointing.

“We had the pace but then we had a bit too much deg towards the end of the race. In the end, P3 [after] starting in P12 is not that bad.”

The testing mixture of the bumpy COTA track surface along with high tyre wear and high winds proved challenging, with Leclerc adding: “The first sector with so much G-force and then with the tyre deg you keep working with the steering wheel, which makes it even more difficult.

“But it was nice, a nice battle with [the Red Bulls of] Checo [Perez] and then later on with Max [Verstappen], but we need to keep working in order to challenge them a bit more towards the other races.

“I am extremely lucky to be a Ferrari driver and I know it, but we need to keep pushing. It’s great to be here to see so many people and so many red shirts, so we will keep working and hopefully next year we will win.”

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