Ferrari’s painful Las Vegas weekend – Strong race pace undone by wet qualifying disaster

Las Vegas GP: Ferrari misses podium despite strong car potential

Ferrari struggled in wet conditions at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, exposing one of the SF-25’s recurring weaknesses in tyre management. Lewis Hamilton delivered the worst qualifying of his career, starting last, while Charles Leclerc qualified only ninth. Despite the car showing great potential, the weekend ended disappointingly. On race day, Leclerc crossed the line in sixth, Hamilton in tenth.

Challenging start for Leclerc, Hamilton charges through the field

Engines roared to life in Las Vegas as the pit lane buzzed with activity. Ferrari drivers received last-minute instructions from their engineers before the formation lap, with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc adopting different strategies: Hard tyres for Lewis, Medium for Charles. Leclerc’s start was imperfect, losing a position early, reportedly due to minor issues with steering-wheel gear signals. He quickly recovered to eighth, while HLewis amilton rocketed up to 14th. On lap two, a yellow flag and subsequent Virtual Safety Car (VSC) interrupted the race to allow marshals to clear debris between Turns 1 and 2 from first-lap contacts.

At the restart, the British driver was already in 12th, benefiting from retirements and compromised positions ahead. Charles Leclerc passed Oliver Bearman to reach seventh and began closing in on Oscar Piastri.

Leclerc climbs and manages tyres

Charles pushed hard and soon overtook Piastri, consolidating sixth place. Telemetry from his steering wheel revealed that the front-left tyre temperature was below optimal levels, prompting the team to request careful tyre management in Turn 2. Despite this, Leclerc didn’t slow and overtook Piastri, moving into fifth.

Next in line was Isack Hadjar, who had made a strong start but couldn’t withstand Charles’ pressure. Meanwhile, Hamilton struggled on the Hards, dealing with rear grip issues and brake management, forcing him to lift off at times to preserve performance. A second VSC on lap 16 offered temporary relief before the race returned to full intensity.

Hamilton on the charge, Leclerc chasing the podium

With tyres finally in the correct range, Lewis Hamilton began gaining positions, passing Esteban Ocon on lap 21 to reach ninth. Leclerc closed in on Carlos Sainz in the Williams, whose pace could not match the SF-25. Sainz pitted, handing the track position to his former teammate. Ferrari’s strategy called for Charles Leclerc’s pit stop, which was delayed by a few laps.

Despite a fast stop, Piastri’s earlier pit allowed the McLaren driver to undercut the Monegasque. Charles briefly rose to third following the stops of Russell and Norris, but Piastri regained the position. Leclerc extended his stint on the Hards, gradually improving pace and climbing to fifth. During the second stint, he struggled for initial grip but eventually found traction, pushing hard again. Hamilton switched to a fresh Medium, carefully managing brakes and tyres in the opening laps. Charles aimed to close in on Piastri, but rear micro-vibrations and the battle with the Australian limited overtaking opportunities.

Race finish: missed targets and qualifying reflection

In the final laps, Charles Leclerc attempted multiple overtakes on Piastri without success, finishing sixth. He also couldn’t capitalize on Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s penalty, who had mounted an impressive recovery from the back. Lewis Hamilton ended tenth, delivering a strong first stint, though the pace with the Mediums later in the race was insufficient to climb further.

The Las Vegas GP once again highlighted the critical role of qualifying: without a strong starting position, Ferrari struggles to fight for the podium even when the car shows potential. The weekend emphasized structural weaknesses of the SF-25, especially imprecise tyre management in wet conditions, which effectively ruined opportunities for a higher finish.

With a better start and a more precise race strategy, Ferrari could have aimed for a consistent result, with a podium well within reach for Charles Leclerc. Unfortunately, this weekend again ended with the impression of a team that failed to fully maximize the car’s capabilities, despite team principal Fred Vasseur consistently emphasizing this goal every race weekend.