Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc will start on pole position for the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix after a qualifying session that saw many drivers and teams fail to deliver on expectations.
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Qualifying Summary
The Monegasque driver pipped his teammate Carlos Sainz to the number one position, although Sainz will start 12th after he got a controversial grid penalty.
He was penalised for ‘changing key car parts’ following an incident in Free Practice One where his car suffered major damage from running over a manhole cover.
Photo credit: Motorsport Images
The Spaniard’s penalty promotes the incumbent champion, Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen, to second on the grid.
George Russell will start third for Mercedes, while his teammate, the 7-time champion Lewis Hamilton will start in 10th after he failed to reach Q3.
The Alpine of Pierre Gasly will take fourth place on the grid, followed by the Williams duo of Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant in fifth and sixth places.
Valtteri Bottas’ Alfa Romeo, Kevin Magnussen’s Haas, Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin, and the aforementioned Hamilton complete the top 10.
The McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri struggled, with Piastri failing to get out of Q1 in 18th place and Norris a lowly 15th.
Photo credit: gpfans.com
Some drivers were unable to adapt to the track conditions, and AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda was seen throwing his headrest out of his car in frustration after qualifying in 20th and last place.
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Problems with the race event
Another driver who has shown his disdain towards the Grand Prix and those in charge of it was Max Verstappen.
The Dutchman lambasted the FIA and the race organisers for their handling of the Grand Prix event and the direction the sport is heading.
He said: “I think the Monaco Grand Prix is like the Champions League, but [Vegas] is like the National League.
“I love Vegas but not to drive in a Formula 1 car. I love to have a few drinks, throw everything on red, and have some nice food, but where are the emotions and passion?
“It’s 99% show, 1% sporting event.”
Photo credit: CNN
However, not all drivers agreed with Verstappen’s qualms, as his previous title rival, Lewis Hamilton praised everyone involved with the race.
“I hear there are a lot of people complaining about the direction that Stefano and Liberty Media have gone.
“But they are doing an amazing job. The sport continues to grow. It is a business, and you will still see good racing here.
“It is a country to tap into and really captivate the audience.
We needed to have at least two races in the US; one wasn’t enough, and this is one of the most iconic and unique cities that they have.
“It is a big show for sure, and it is never going to be like Silverstone, but maybe over time, the people in this community will grow to love the sport.”
Photo credit: GB News
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Final comments
So, the first race in Vegas in over 40 years has both its lovers and its critics, but one thing is for sure, the race will be unique, glamorous, and potentially chaotic.
The circuit may be simplistic in its layout, but a combination of long straights and heavy braking zones could aid overtaking, especially down the Las Vegas Strip.
If cold track conditions continue from the rest of the weekend into the race, we could see many mistakes from the drivers and potentially see numerous Safety Cars.
If the previous sessions are anything to go by, this race will be a corker of a race that will be great to watch.