Charles Leclerc explains stunning Max Verstappen overtake after 'coming to play'

Charles Leclerc has talked through his stunning first-lap overtake on Max Verstappen in a United States Grand Prix where there was "something to play for."

Although Ferrari's practice pace did not translate into a strong qualifying, with Leclerc fourth and Lewis Hamilton fifth, Leclerc quickly passed both Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar on the opening lap, with Hamilton also dispatching Hadjar and having a go at Verstappen.

Slow away, Verstappen was passed around the outside of Turns 4 and 5 by Leclerc, who squeaked through, before Verstappen sliced back past later in the lap to regain second place.

As the two engaged in a two-stop strategy duel, the race boiled down to a fight for second place in the closing stages, with Leclerc getting ahead of his rival at Turn 12 to pick up the runner-up trophy behind runaway leader Kimi Antonelli.

Reflecting, Leclerc spoke of how he managed to pass Verstappen on the opening lap as he realised there was "something to play for".

"That was fun. I mean, I had quite a good start, and then I didn't want to brake too late for Turn 1, just to keep an opportunity of trying to cross back at the exit of Turn 1," Leclerc told media, including RacingNews365.

"But Lewis got very, very close, and then I used a little bit more of my battery to get alongside Max in Turns 3, 4, and 5. 

"I didn't really know how it would go, but it was quite close, and it was fun.

"I enjoyed [the race]. I mean, the start was fun, then later on with Lando and Max again was quite fun. So, it's one of those races where you're not getting too bored inside the cockpit, and there's something to play for.

"I even thought the victory was possible at one point when I saw Kimi going for the one-stop. Based on our numbers, he would start to struggle a bit more towards the end of the race. 

“He never really struggled towards the end of the race, but, it was a fun race. It is a shame just that we came short of winning."

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Leclerc agrees with Ferrari strategy

As for his strategy, Leclerc felt that the two-stop was the correct way to go, but that he just did not have the pace to defeat the one-stopping Antonelli, who finished 13s up the road.

"I think Red Bull and I had kind of the same vision. If you look at the tyre allocation as well, for us the two-stops were probably the way to go," Leclerc added.

"The hard was just a really good tyre, and I could push on it quite a lot. So, yeah, I was more interested in trying to... I kept asking my engineer what the pace of Kimi was, but I was probably a bit too optimistic. 

"I still wanted to give it a shot, but I probably lost a bit too much time with Max and Lando, and even with free air, I don't think I would have got to Kimi."