How Ferrari’s strategy mistake ruined Charles Leclerc’s F1 Las Vegas GP

How Ferrari’s strategy mistake ruined Charles Leclerc’s F1 Las Vegas GP. Charles Leclerc crossed the line just 0.2s behind Kimi Antonelli in P6 at the 2025 Las Vegas GP.

F1 Las Vegas GP – Leclerc sixth: how a poor strategy cost Ferrari a podium

Disappointment for Charles Leclerc in Las Vegas: finishing sixth, less than two-tenths behind Kimi Antonelli, left the Monegasque driver frustrated. A strategy error prevented him from challenging for a podium, and Ferrari now faces tough questions about its race plan.

Ferrari’s mixed weekend: Charles Leclerc sixth, Hamilton tenth

Ferrari cannot be satisfied with the performance of its drivers in Las Vegas. Lewis Hamilton finished tenth in a race already compromised by his poor qualifying, while Leclerc was left to regret a strategic mistake that cost him the chance to fight for the podium. At certain moments, it even seemed possible for him to reach the top three.

Leclerc blocked by Sainz: strategy under scrutiny

Charles Leclerc finished sixth, but the result could have been much better. The Monegasque started strongly, climbing to seventh position early in the race. By lap 13, he managed to challenge Oscar Piastri for P6 and even moved up behind Isack Hadjar shortly after.

However, all hopes of a podium vanished when the Monegasque driver became stuck behind Carlos Sainz. He couldn’t overtake the Spaniard, losing crucial seconds and finding himself more than 20 seconds behind race leader Max Verstappen, with George Russell following closely after completing his pit stop.

Pit stop damage limitation and final frustration

Charles Leclerc, one of the last front runners to pit alongside Max Verstappen, attempted to limit the damage. After the stop, he rejoined in sixth, behind Oscar Piastri. Yet he could not overtake the Australian, as Kimi Antonelli was using DRS to pull him along. Kimi Antonelli had a five-second penalty, which may have influenced Piastri’s strategy, leaving Charles Leclerc unable to challenge him directly on the straight.

In the closing laps, Charles Leclerc’s hopes further diminished. He lost pace to Kimi Antonelli, who moved into fourth, and could not stay within the critical five-second window to overtake. Ultimately, he had to settle for remaining behind.

Ferrari strategy lessons

Ferrari has clear reason to regret its strategy choices. If Charles Leclerc had not been stuck first behind Sainz and later behind Piastri, he could have attempted a podium challenge. His pace was competitive, matching that of Lando Norris and George Russell for most of the race. Unfortunately, the team’s misjudgment turned a potential top-three finish into a frustrating sixth place.