The Scuderia went toe-to-toe with Red Bull: Charles, leading the race, faced a setback with the entry of the safety car on lap 26, bringing Max Verstappen back into contention. The Monegasque, starting from pole position, endured the free pit stop that benefited the Dutchman, switching from having a set of tires five laps older than Leclerc’s to being five laps fresher. The last-lap overtake by the Ferrari driver against Sergio Perez speaks volumes about the Prancing Horse’s motivation.
Finishing in second place after starting from pole position might suggest that something didn’t go as planned. However, at the end of the 50 laps around the Las Vegas circuit, both Charles Leclerc and Ferrari have nothing to reproach themselves for. At the start, Max Verstappen used aggressive tactics to take the lead, a move penalized by the sports commissioners with a 5-second penalty at the first pit stop. Coinciding with the stop (lap 16), Verstappen’s race seemed to be an uphill battle as the Red Bull box had to call him in due to a sudden increase in graining on the front axle. A surprise, as Max found himself struggling with the tires while Leclerc maintained a strong pace.
Charles Leclerc overtook Verstappen’s Red Bull before Max’s pit stop, taking the lead and completing another five laps before making his own pit stop. Back on track, Charles pulled away with a 4-second advantage over Verstappen, who was fourth at that point, and after four laps, the gap remained unchanged, even though Leclerc started the stint without pushing the tires too hard. At this point, the race seemed to be decisively in Ferrari’s favor, then came the lap 26 safety car that turned the situation around.
The Monegasque is convinced that without the safety car’s entry, he could have won the Las Vegas Grand Prix, a doubt destined to linger. When the race resumed (lap 28), Verstappen found himself in fifth place, also behind Gasly, Piastri, and Perez, but he set a very fast pace, allowing him to overtake all opponents, including Leclerc. Thanks to the ‘free’ pit stop offered by the safety car, Max went from having a set of tires five laps older than Charles Leclerc’s to being five laps fresher. Ferrari is convinced that this ten-lap window was crucial for the final outcome. “It certainly didn’t help,” commented Frederic Vasseur with a wry smile.
Charles still had the opportunity to enjoy the second-place finish, as seven laps from the end, he had to endure Sergio Perez’s overtake. Leclerc didn’t give up on his opponent, and just when everything seemed ready for Red Bull’s sixth double of the season, a masterpiece overtake arrived—a late braking at turn 14 that surprised Checo and showcased Charles’s car control.
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At the end of the race in the Ferrari box, the optimistic view prevailed decisively. Charles Leclerc’s second place, coupled with Carlos Sainz’s sixth-place comeback, allowed the Scuderia to close in at -4 from Mercedes in the Constructors’ Championship.
But what boosted the morale of the Ferrari team the most was returning to play a leading role. Ferrari prepared well for the Las Vegas trip, but immediately found themselves working overtime due to Carlos Sainz’s misadventure in the FP1 session.
Perhaps with two cars in the front row, the race script would have been different, but beyond the final result, a good Ferrari emerged. Beating Verstappen in his ‘2023’ campaign is a truly challenging feat, even when it doesn’t seem to be his day. Leclerc came close, and despite missing the target, he has little to reproach himself for. Charles needed a weekend like this to forget Interlagos; Ferrari needed a weekend like this to hope for a last-minute upset against Mercedes in the final stage at Yas Marina.
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