Ferrari could have secured a podium finish at the 2025 Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix despite a disastrous Saturday of qualifying and a weekend that initially seemed challenging for the Italian team. Both Ferrari SF-25 cars struggled with grip during the wet qualifying session, leaving Charles Leclerc starting from ninth on the grid. Despite this setback, there was a clear opportunity for the Monegasque driver to finish in third place, particularly after the McLaren disqualification, if the Ferrari pit wall had managed tire strategy with more attentiveness and precision. While it cannot be described as a straightforward error by the team, it was nonetheless a missed reaction during a crucial part of the race weekend, which ultimately cost the Italian side a potential podium result that they could have celebrated with both drivers.
Managing a challenging and demanding car
The Maranello team opted for a split strategy between the two drivers, which was inevitable given the very different starting positions of Charles Leclerc and seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton. Following the usual Sunday morning team briefing, Ferrari decided to equip Charles Leclerc with Medium tires, which were in line with the strategy being pursued by the leading group of cars in the race. In contrast, Lewis Hamilton, starting from a position significantly further back on the grid, was assigned the white-banded Hard Pirelli tires. The plan for the British driver was to extend his first stint as much as possible and to attempt an overcut on a group of slower cars, allowing him to gain positions later in the race while the track conditions evolved.
In the opening laps, Charles Leclerc focused primarily on overtaking Oliver Bearman, who was holding a position directly ahead of him, before setting his sights on catching Oscar Piastri in the McLaren. During this phase of the race, the Ferrari pit wall guided Charles Leclerc extensively via radio on how to manage his tires effectively. They emphasized the importance of not overexerting the car through certain critical corners, including turn 11, which is a very fast left-hand bend that places a significant amount of energy onto the tires, making it particularly challenging to maintain optimal grip over multiple laps.
Meanwhile, the McLaren team communicated with Oscar Piastri to warn him that the Ferrari SF-25 had a less loaded rear wing compared to his car, making it increasingly difficult to keep Charles Leclerc behind. At that point in the race, the two Ferrari SF-25 cars were registering some of the highest top speeds on the straights. This advantage enabled Charles Leclerc to overtake Oscar Piastri on his first attempt successfully. It is also important to note that Oscar Piastri was simultaneously dealing with significant front tire graining, which further affected his ability to defend effectively against the Monegasque driver.
Graining issues and the team’s delayed reaction
One of the critical aspects of the race that proved particularly difficult for the team to manage was the front tire graining on the Ferrari SF-25 of Charles Leclerc. Over the course of the stint, Oscar Piastri’s graining also worsened, but the Ferrari team did not respond proactively. While the Australian driver pitted on lap 22, the team continued with the initial strategy for Charles Leclerc, believing that attempting an undercut at that stage would not be particularly effective. Notably, just four laps earlier, Ferrari had received crucial data indicating that Charles Leclerc was experiencing significant graining on his tires. Despite having this information, the team decided to extend his stint as long as possible, attempting to maximize track position without adjusting to the emerging situation.
This delayed reaction to Oscar Piastri’s tire issues ultimately prevented Charles Leclerc from reaching the podium. He finally pitted on lap 25 to switch to the Hard tires, but by this time, the pit stop placed him behind Oscar Piastri’s McLaren. Between laps 22 and 25, Charles Leclerc’s pace dropped noticeably, allowing Oscar Piastri to gain over three seconds during that short period. A closer look at the telemetry data illustrates the difference between the projected pace of the Ferrari SF-25 and the actual pace of the car during those laps, showing that the Maranello team’s failure to respond immediately contributed significantly to the time lost on track.
Struggles behind the DRS train
Following the pit stop, Charles Leclerc found himself stuck behind a DRS train formed by Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes W16, followed closely by Oscar Piastri in the McLaren number 81. Kimi Antonelli was carrying a five-second time penalty, and Ferrari’s objective was to overtake him at the finish line to secure a higher finishing position for their Monegasque driver. Unfortunately, Ferrari narrowly missed achieving this target, falling short by just over two-tenths of a second. During the final five laps, the Italian driver pushed hard to maintain position, creating a sufficient gap to secure the position ahead of Charles Leclerc at the checkered flag.
Overall assessment of Ferrari’s Las Vegas GP weekend
In conclusion, it was a disappointing weekend for Ferrari, particularly when considering the double penalty applied to the two McLarens for abnormal plank wear, which effectively disqualified the orange-colored cars from the final classification. Had Charles Leclerc remained within five seconds of Kimi Antonelli, he would have secured a well-deserved podium finish, making this a particularly bitter missed opportunity for the Scuderia. The combination of a challenging qualifying session, suboptimal tire management, and a lack of timely reactions to evolving race conditions ultimately meant that Ferrari was unable to capitalize on circumstances that could have delivered both drivers strong results.
Despite the potential for a podium finish, Ferrari’s Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend will be remembered as one to forget, highlighting the ongoing challenges of managing the SF-25 under difficult track conditions. The race underscored the importance of swift decision-making, accurate tire management, and proactive communication between the drivers and the pit wall, all of which are critical elements in maximizing race performance and translating car speed into strong finishing positions.
Leave a Reply