Mercedes disrupted Ferrari’s plans. The Scuderia left Las Vegas with a ‘+12’ over McLaren, reducing the gap in the Constructors’ standings to 24 points. Progress was made, but it was not as significant as anticipated. George Russell’s pole position had already raised alarms, but nothing could have prepared for the pace the two Mercedes cars demonstrated, especially in the first part of the race. More than during the scheduled fifty laps, the battle for victory (at least) was essentially decided in the first ten.
All twenty drivers had received clear instructions in the pre-race briefings: beware of graining. Strategists had devised two plans: one-stop strategies (medium to hard tires) and two-stop strategies utilizing two sets of hard tires. The first stint was expected to provide clarity. However, just a few laps in, Ferrari realized things were not going well. Leclerc, after an excellent start, positioned himself behind leader Russell and, on lap four, launched an attack. Charles’ tires paid the price two laps later, as he suddenly began losing two seconds per lap, dropping to fourth place by the eighth lap.
“I felt like I had everything under control,” Charles Leclerc explained after the race, “but then, from one corner to the next, I started losing three seconds per lap—a completely crazy drop-off. It caught me by surprise, and in that moment, we lost a lot of time. Maybe being in Russell’s dirty air didn’t help, and I pushed the tires too hard in the first stint.”
“It only took one attack on Russell, and everything fell apart,” confirmed Frederic Vasseur regarding Charles Leclerc’s tires. “After the pit stop (brought forward to lap nine when Leclerc was already nine seconds behind Russell), he ended up in traffic, as did Carlos two laps later.”
Even Carlos Sainz, who managed his tires more cautiously in the opening laps, saw his performance collapse two laps after Charles Leclerc. “We lost more time in traffic because we had to wait for the others to pit before having a clear track again,” added Fred Vasseur. After the first round of stops (lap 17), Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were 12 and 15 seconds behind Russell, a gap that remained unchanged until the 50th and final lap.
With the hard tires, no one held back because it became clear the race would require two stops. While a qualifying pace for an entire stint was not possible, the rhythm was brisk. After succumbing to Hamilton’s charge, Ferrari’s race became a battle with Verstappen for third place. Max, focused on his countdown to the fourth world title, was not interested in a fierce fight. Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc managed to overtake the Red Bull, achieving the best result possible on Las Vegas night.
When asked if a different approach could have won the race, Fred Vasseur was straightforward: “Honestly, I don’t think so. Overall, Mercedes was faster. Perhaps we could have adjusted our approach to the weekend, but considering our starting positions, I don’t think we could have achieved more today.” This likely referred to Ferrari’s decision to favor reduced downforce for top speed, a choice opposite to Mercedes’ setup (Hamilton frequently complained over the radio about being unable to pass Leclerc despite using DRS), which proved effective for tire management across stints.
The Scuderia’s pit wall also had to contend with more than tire graining and strategy challenges, as Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc pushed them to their limits. When Charles began struggling with tire degradation on lap seven, he let Carlos through, marking the only successful gentleman’s agreement of the day. In the latter stages of the second stint, Charles Leclerc closed in on Carlos Sainz, catching him by lap 25. The team asked Carlos to let Charles pass to attack Max Verstappen, who was two seconds ahead of the Ferrari duo.
Carlos Sainz did not comply, instead requesting an early pit stop, costing Leclerc two seconds. Charles pitted afterward and exited ahead of Carlos, but the team requested they maintain their positions. However, on the straight between turns 4 and 5, Carlos used his already warm tires to pass his teammate. “Perhaps Charles was upset about that incident,” Fred Vasseur said, referring to Leclerc’s tense post-race radio message. “We need to avoid internal battles, but Carlos was already on his third lap of the stint. It was a difficult situation for everyone, but we’ll address it tonight. It won’t be an issue.”
After the checkered flag, Leclerc vented his frustration over the radio to his engineer Bryan Bozzi: “I did my job, but being nice always screws me over, always. I know I should stay quiet, but it’s always the same thing.” For Ferrari, ensuring a positive atmosphere in the garage will be a priority in the coming days, heading into the final rounds in Lusail and Yas Marina. On paper, McLaren is in a strong position, with an advantage in the standings and the next two tracks seemingly ideal for their car. However, this season has been full of surprises, including the return of Mercedes as the Silver Arrows over one weekend.
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