The debut Las Vegas GP was a thrilling contest from beginning to end. Over the course of the main race, the lead switched hands seven times among three drivers, culminating in Verstappen emerging victorious with a remarkable pass at Turn 14 on Lap 37 against Leclerc. However, the standout moment of the entire Grand Prix was Charles Leclerc’s audacious last-lap move on Sergio Perez, securing the P2 position. Remarkably, it appears that Leclerc’s exceptional performance on the Las Vegas circuit has led recent reports from the De Telegraaf F1 podcast to suggest that Ferrari was the more dominant car on the track.
Charles Leclerc surrendered his lead to both Red Bull drivers during their pit stops under the safety car. Despite this setback, he narrowed the gap with P2 Perez and astounded the F1 world with a remarkable move into Turn 14. This maneuver by Leclerc has gained recognition throughout the entire F1 community and has also been thoroughly examined by two F1 experts.
In a discussion with De Telegraaf, Christijan Albers and reporter Erik Van Haren were seen delving into greater detail, which involved their comparison of Leclerc’s Ferrari performance in Las Vegas with the Red Bull. Initially, while talking about Ferrari, Albers said, “I have to say that the Ferrari is better when braking.” Subsequently, when making comparisons, Albers emphasized Ferrari’s prowess in mechanical grip and “low speed.”
However, in his summary, he pointed out the Prancing Horses’ deficiencies in medium and high-speed downforce and higher tire wear compared to Red Bull. The Former driver emphasized that at the Las Vegas circuit, Ferrari’s increased tire wear became an advantage, aiding in maintaining tire temperature in freezing conditions. As a result of that, Ferrari emerged as a “much stronger” contender on the mediums compared to the Austrian outfit.
Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur goes gaga over Charles Leclerc’s exceptional performance
Throughout the 2023 season, Ferrari aspired to excellence but encountered hurdles due to Max Verstappen’s ongoing dominance. Apart from Carlos Sainz’s remarkable performance in Singapore, the team fell short of reaching the top spot on the podium. However, at the inaugural Las Vegas GP, Charles Leclerc’s audacious maneuvers filled the entire team with joy. Considering this, team boss Frederic Vasseur seemed ecstatic and even expressed optimism in his remarks.
During his conversation with Sky Sports Italia the Frenchman said, “Charles did a fantastic race, he managed to overtake the Red Bull three times.” The 55-year-old also commended Carlos Sainz for his fantastic performance in achieving P6 after his 10-place grid penalty. He said, ” Even Carlos had a fantastic performance; we weren’t very lucky with the safety car.”
While concluding, Vasseur mentioned that the Las Vegas GP marked the best of Ferrari’s season, expressing the team’s intention to finish at P1. However, he acknowledged that the apparent results were the best they could have achieved. Moreover, Vasseur also highlighted some challenges during the race, citing the incident involving the safety car.
He claimed, “The safety car came at the worst moment, but we recovered and finished with a good result. The show was good, not just during the weekend but on the track too. Overall, it was one of the best races of the season.”
