Leclerc overjoyed with ‘surprise’ podium in Mexico

Charles Leclerc secured a surprising second consecutive podium finish at the Mexico City Grand Prix, taking P2 and propelling Ferrari past Mercedes into second in the Teams' Championship. Starting from P2, Leclerc navigated a chaotic Turn 1, battling Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, and Lewis Hamilton. He expertly fended off a late charge from Verstappen, admitting the Virtual Safety Car was crucial as his tyres were 'completely gone.' Leclerc expressed immense satisfaction, praising Ferrari's ability to extract maximum performance from the car, despite shifting development focus to next season, underscoring their strong recent form.