Charles Leclerc acknowledges Ferrari’s difficulties at the Las Vegas circuit and places all his hopes on a crucial element that he believes could change the entire picture. His comments ahead of the weekend offer a clearer understanding of where the Scuderia stands.
We arrive at three rounds from the end of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship with several important battles still undecided. In addition to the fight for the world drivers’ title, there is a fierce battle for second place in the Constructors’ standings involving Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari — with the Italian team currently trailing the other top outfits. Making matters worse for the Scuderia could be the Las Vegas circuit itself. As Charles Leclerc explained on media day, on paper it is not the most favourable track for Ferrari, although there is one decisive detail that could shift the balance.
Ferrari and Las Vegas: an unstable relationship
In the two years that Formula 1 has raced on the Las Vegas street circuit, Ferrari’s performance has been anything but consistent. In 2023, with a car that suffered throughout the season, and perhaps for the first time that year aside from Singapore, the SF-23 was unexpectedly in the fight for victory and capable of challenging the record-breaking Red Bull.
In fact, Charles Leclerc managed to finish directly ahead of Sergio Pérez, securing second place. The situation was quite different last year when, despite having a significantly better project than the season before, both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz struggled heavily due to the low temperatures. After a brief glimpse of strong pace in the opening laps, both drivers slowed down.
The factor that could change everything
And it is precisely the temperature that worries Leclerc the most. “This season, in low-temperature conditions, we have often struggled much more than others, so looking at the weather we are definitely not starting as favourites,” he said. “But this is also the last street circuit of the season, and it is one of my favourites. As always, when you race between the walls, there are extra opportunities you can try to seize.”
“This will be our objective for the weekend, and I cannot wait to get back into my SF-25 to understand what opportunities we may have for this race.”
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