With 4 race weekends remaining within the System 1 season, the chase for the Constructors’ Championship has become a three-way brawl between McLaren, Purple Bull, and Ferrari. On the backs of one other sturdy weekend, Ferrari has pulled into second in that combat, leapfrogging over Purple Bull within the standings thanks to a different double podium in Sunday’s Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix, with Carlos Sainz Jr. taking the victory and Charles Leclerc ending third.
Whereas the crew has began to dream a couple of Constructors’ Championship, Leclerc admitted on Sunday night in Mexico Metropolis that he’s not eager about a Drivers’ Championship — the place he sits third within the standings behind Max Verstappen and Lando Norris — but.
“On my aspect, I don’t take into consideration the Drivers’ Championship, realistically. As I used to be saying earlier, I believe first the method is to not begin eager about the Drivers’ Championship. That doesn’t assist me obtain something extra. It’s by focusing race by race,” mentioned Leclerc through the FIA Press Convention in Mexico Metropolis. “In fact, there’s a part of it that’s in my management. And if I win all races, that places many of the possibilities on my aspect. However even when I try this, I’ve acquired to have Max that has very poor weekends and I don’t depend on that, so I’ll simply attempt to do the absolute best finish of the season, after which we’ll do the maths on the finish of the season.”
Leclerc additionally admitted that he felt as if he was on the again foot all weekend in Mexico Metropolis.
“Yeah, I imply, all in all, it’s been a very constructive weekend for Ferrari, a bit of bit much less for me personally. I haven’t been on my prime sport this weekend, however having mentioned that, I believe Carlos has been doing simply the right weekend from the primary lap in FP1 to the final one of many race. On my aspect, I used to be a bit of bit on the again foot, lacking FP1, and I by no means actually recovered,” mentioned Leclerc. “Through the race, I felt like I used to be comparatively fast on the primary stint. Sadly, I needed to do… I used to be requested to do numerous administration for temperatures, however yeah, on the finish it was the way in which it’s. I believe I’m very joyful for the crew, very joyful for Carlos. He deserves it greater than anyone this weekend as a result of he’s been driving higher than anybody. And yeah, consequence for the crew.”
Later within the press convention, Leclerc conceded that even had he not gone large on Lap 63, which opened the door for Norris to wrestle away P2 in the long run, the McLaren driver was going to catch him ultimately.
“Oh, by then I had no probability to remain in entrance of Lando. Lando was flying, and I believe as a crew, we’ve been fairly fortunate that no matter occurred with Max and Lando firstly of the race, that slowed him down massively, and his second stint was very, very spectacular. In order that was factor for us, and that in all probability helped us,” added Leclerc. “On my aspect, there was no means that I may keep in entrance. I knew that it might be very tough. I knew that I needed to have an unbelievable exit out of the final nook, so I attempted to place the whole lot… to have a very good exit, went over the restrict, misplaced the automobile, and misplaced the place, however I felt it was a query of laps or corners earlier than I misplaced that place.”
You possibly can see that second — and Leclerc’s spectacular save — right here:
Leclerc’s save averted catastrophe for Ferrari and helped the crew transfer up one place nearer to the highest of the Constructors’ Championship. Whereas the consequence additionally noticed Leclerc transfer nearer to Max Verstappen within the Drivers’ Championship, the Ferrari driver shouldn’t be that as a real risk.
But.
