If you’ve been tracking the current Formula One season’s back-and-forth drama over the past 18 races, you know that The Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin (round 19) promises to turn up the wick as part of F1’s growing American trilogy: Miami in May, Austin now, and Las Vegas closing out the year in November.
McLaren has already sealed the Constructors’ crown in Singapore, but the Drivers’ fight is still alive, with only 22 points separating Oscar Piastri (336 points) and Lando Norris (314 points) ahead of an action-packed Sprint race weekend ahead of us. Austin marks the start of the final six rounds, and every lap of this Sprint weekend will count. Only one practice session on Friday, then straight into qualifying and parc fermé, preparation matters more than ever, and that’s exactly where Ferrari hopes to strike back.
Leclerc, who turned 28 on Thursday, celebrated in Ferrari’s hospitality suite before getting back to business. Leclerc insists there’s more performance in the SF-25 than results have shown. “It’s not in my nature nor the team’s to ever give up. We’ll give it our all until the last lap of the last race, and I believe that even from the poor weekends, there’s something to learn. I also think the car’s potential is greater than it’s looked recently, and even though our rivals have undoubtedly made progress in terms of competitiveness, I’m convinced that if we manage to put everything together, a good result is within our reach.”
As last year’s race winner, he’s banking on preparation to pay off under the Sprint structure. “We’ll only have one free practice session, so those who have prepared best at the factory could have an advantage, and in the past, there have been times when we were the best prepared. If that’s the case here, it’ll be important to make the most of that opportunity.” That confidence ties back to Maranello’s factory simulations, which could play a bigger role than usual this weekend. Leclerc also referenced next year’s new technical cycle, signaling his intent to stay with Ferrari through the 2026 regulation shift. “There are a lot of rumours, but the truth is the same as I’ve always said, I’m in love with Ferrari, I want to win with the Scuderia, he said.
Hamilton, on the other hand, looked relaxed as ever. The seven-time champion has always had a special connection with COTA. “This is my favorite weekend of the season,” he said during the FIA press conference. “The people, the food, the music, it feels like home.” The circuit has been kind to him, too, with five career wins in Austin since 2012.
But Hamilton’s attention is firmly on the final six races of the season. “I think it’s important to stay focused and ensure we improve and learn all the time. Of course there are rumours flying around, but we just need to concentrate on what we have to do and I will be giving my all in the last six races. After Singapore, we had a meeting to analyse everything about the weekend. I think that even from that race there were a few positive insights to take away and if we can make good use of what we learned, we will get better results. Everyone at the track really wants a good result for the sake of all those working like crazy back in the factory. They really deserve it.” said Hamilton.
Heat is the big headliner going into race weekend in Austin, which, for teams, combines with Pirelli’s Texas two-step, a compound jump to C1, C2, and C3. The gap between hard and medium is roughly a second per lap, pushing strategy toward a two-stopper if degradation spikes. Virtual Safety Cars are common here, and the two pit windows, which are around Lap 15 to 22 and again near Lap 34 to 40, could decide everything.
Ferrari arrives at the U.S. Grand Prix sitting third in the Constructors’ standings with 298 points, behind McLaren (650 points) and Mercedes (325 points). Leclerc is currently fifth in the Drivers’ standings with 173 points, while Hamilton sits close behind in sixth with 125. Both need strong finishes in Austin to keep Ferrari’s momentum alive in the final stages of the 2025 season. For the fans, it’s a weekend where Texas heat, strategy chaos, and title tension will come together.
Images: Ferrari
