“Not Good for Our Car”: Max Verstappen Points Red Bull’s Deficit Against Ferrari at Las Vegas GP

With the 2023 Las Vegas GP set to take place on Sunday, both, Red Bull and Ferrari have been locked in a battle, throughout the weekend. And with how qualifying unfolded earlier, it can go either way. However, Max Verstappen believes that one inherent deficiency with the RB19 might decide this bout in favor of Ferrari, per FormulaPassion.

Verstappen told Sky Sports F1 (as quoted by FormulaPassion), “Today we were a little behind on the flying lap and we tried to make the most of everything. The track, with that type of corners, is not good for our car.” 

The gap between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen was about 3-and-a-half tenths of a second. On paper, that gap over a single lap looks promising for Ferrari. Verstappen agrees because he spotted an uncanny similarity between Vegas and the only other track where they have lagged.

He continued, “The same happened in Singapore and here. Low-speed corners and heavy braking are not suitable for our car, just as dips and potholes are not for us. This is why we are behind on the flying lap.” Despite a visible advantage, tomorrow’s Grand Prix isn’t going to be a cakewalk for Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, either.

Despite qualifying advantage over Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc is not optimistic

The SF-23 suffers from an acute tire degradation problem. And Leclerc admits that while refuting Verstappen’s Singapore comments. He said, “In Singapore, you can drive 1.5 to two seconds slower in some places and the cars behind you still can’t pass. It’s different here, and pace will have a much more important role in the race.”

The Vegas circuit is littered with endless straights and countless opportunities for drivers to make a move at the end of them. Hence, the tire degradation problem could be the perfect ticket for Verstappen to pounce on the Scuderia in the race.

Naturally, Leclerc cannot rely on his defensive driving skills and will have to push from the get go. But with RB19 lacking some obvious pace, the 2023 Las Vegas GP is going to be an exciting prospect for the fans who could see Red Bull lose for a second time this season.