The Las Vegas GP was riddled with issues for the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Despite it all, the SF-23 looked like a solid package on the iconic streets of Vegas. With Leclerc bagging an impressive P2 and Sainz finishing a solid 6th, the Scuderia are now just 4 points away from sealing P2 in the Constructors’. On the eve of the Abu Dhabi GP, Leclerc has vowed to defeat Mercedes and take that crown.
GPFans quoted the Monegasque as saying,
“We’ve got a second place in the constructors to take and I will do everything to try and do that in the last race of the season.”
Despite grabbing the pole, Leclerc succumbed to Max Verstappen’s charge. That is another thing he wants to address at Abu Dhabi. “It’s been a great weekend and shame for the win but we’ll try and get it in Abu Dhabi.”
The lap that secured Charles Leclerc pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix ⚡ pic.twitter.com/vF8CE2iro2
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 18, 2023
The Ferrari looked superior to Mercedes’ 2023 challenger in every aspect. Hence, the team from Maranello is going into the last race of the season as the clear favorites to usurp P2 from the currently incumbent Silver Arrows.
After a season-long battle between the two giants of the sport, Ferrari seem like the most deserving out of the two. In the era of Red Bull dominance, Ferrari have managed to eke out at least one win at the Singapore GP. On the other hand, Mercedes have been plagued with unreliability and a pace deficit arising out of an aerodynamically inefficient W14.
Both, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have unfinished business from Las Vegas GP
Leclerc would be eager to register his first win of the season at Lewis Hamilton‘s expense. He has issued a stern warning to the 7x champion and his team. Even though he looked like a favorite to snatch victory last weekend, a series of unfortunate events meant he could only finish second.
At the start, Leclerc was forced off the track as Verstappen took P1. Despite a 5-second penalty, Verstappen was able to stay within reach of the Monacan racing ace. A late Safety Car then neutralized any advantage Leclerc had over the Dutchman, and Verstappen cruised to victory in the dying embers of the race.
Mercedes vs Ferrari 🔥 Who do you think will finish higher in the standings after Abu Dhabi? 👀 pic.twitter.com/vJAxErTBaB
— WTF1 (@wtf1official) November 21, 2023
Hamilton and Mercedes themselves suffered a squalid weekend. Never looking comfortable or fast, Hamilton finished a disappointing 7th, while his teammate took the chequered flag in 8th. What makes it even more bitter for the Briton is the fact that he was hoping to get on the podium, at the least.
Formule1.nl quoted him as revealing, “I’m just happy that I got some more points. But there definitely could have been a podium.”
