Ferrari came away from the United States Grand Prix with a proper day's work done. Charles Leclerc finished second and Lewis Hamilton fourth, both drivers climbing up from their grid slots to give the Scuderia a strong haul of points at the Circuit of the Americas. It's the team's twelfth podium of the season, and it keeps them well ahead in the Constructors' Championship fight.

More F1 news: Antonelli Wins Nine and Sits on Championship Cusp After Austin Masterclass

The race kicked off with both Ferraris on Soft tyres, and they nailed their starts from fourth and fifth. Charles immediately went after the Red Bulls and got by both, though Max Verstappen had other ideas and repassed him pretty quickly. Once strategy played out, the pace was there. Leclerc moved up through the order methodically, and Hamilton, switching between Medium and Hard compounds, mounted a strong comeback in the final stint. When the pit stops settled down, Charles was hunting positions and managed to pass both Lando Norris and Verstappen to slot into second. Lewis was charging too and looked ready to snatch a podium spot before Valtteri Bottas' VSC stopped the momentum.

More F1 news: Antonelli Wins at Austin but Championship Wait Continues to Mexico

Charles felt good about how it all unfolded. He reckoned the car had decent pace and loved the opening lap scrap with Max, plus the battles later on. The upgrades Ferrari brought are heading in the right direction, and he's optimistic about converting that progress into a win soon. Lewis echoed that sentiment, calling it a solid team effort with smart strategy and clean execution. He thinks without that late VSC, they'd have had a real shot at two podiums.

More F1 news: Ferrari Strengthens Constructor Grip as Hamilton Closes in on Russell After Austin

Team boss Fred Vasseur was pleased with the overall approach. The pace was there right to the end, and the aggressive strategy paid off. He reckoned if they'd nailed qualifying a bit better yesterday, they might've had even more in the tank. Still, he's taking the positives, particularly that they showed genuine race speed and proved they can mix it with anyone when it counts.

Shop the collection: Max Verstappen merch  •  Lando Norris merch  •  Charles Leclerc merch  •  Lewis Hamilton merch  •  Scuderia Ferrari merch  •  Red Bull Racing merch  •  McLaren merch