Tipping Max Verstappen for pole position is never a gamble but Ferrari also looked a good bet for qualifying at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, while Lewis Hamilton hoped to upset the odds
Charles Leclerc took pole position in a Las Vegas Grand Prix session which saw several big names flatter to deceive.
Lewis Hamilton loves this new street track and would have hoped to at least show enough pace to contend for pole position. But he didn’t even make it through to Q3 and had to settle for just 11th fastest on the road.
And he wasn’t the only one who failed to reach the top 10. Sergio Perez was fast enough only for 12th, but it places him well at least to be able to score enough points compared to Hamilton to secure second place in the drivers’ championship. And McLaren had a horrible night as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were both rooted in the bottom five.
But it was a much better night for those that call US races their home. Haas got Kevin Magnussen into Q3 where he impressed, while Logan Sargeant not only reached the top 10 but qualified seventh, just behind team-mate Alex Albon at the end of a session to remember for Williams.
Even McLaren would be dissatisfied with the double Q1 exit they experienced, as they did not anticipate this track being suitable for their vehicles. Piastri finished 19th fastest, and Norris, who only finished 16th, will be especially disappointed.
Overall, Yuki Tsunoda was the slowest; Esteban Ocon and Zhou Guanyu were also absent. The driver was enraged with Max Verstappen because the two had gotten into a tangle at turn one while attempting to complete their last flying laps, which resulted in profanity between them being exchanged over the radio.
Williams had been quietly hoping for two Q3 appearances, and they did not disappoint, showcasing their best speed on the long straightaways to place Sargeant and Albon in the top 10. Nico Hulkenberg, Daniel Ricciardo, and Lance Stroll were absent at their expense, but two more well-known athletes did not show up in the last section of the practice.
Sergio Perez only finished 12th fastest, continuing his inconsistent qualifying performance. At the end of the second quarter, Red Bull decided not to send the Mexican out for a final run, possibly believing he was safe; however, in the end, his time was only good enough for 12th fastest.
Hamilton, who was finding it difficult to get the most out of his Mercedes, was only one spot behind. After hearing his fate, the seven-time world champion sent out a simple radio message that said, “Couldn’t go faster mate,” suggesting that he felt he had extracted every last bit of performance from the W14.
After the two Ferraris, Verstappen finished his final flying lap in third place, although he was still pushing for pole. Carlos Sainz will start from 12th on the grid in spite of Leclerc’s victory in the pole position. This is because of a 10-place grid drop.
Full 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix qualifying result
Charles Leclerc – Ferrari
Carlos Sainz – Ferrari (Grid penalty to be applied)
Max Verstappen – Red Bull
George Russell – Mercedes
Pierre Gasly – Alpine
Alex Albon – Williams
Logan Sargeant – Williams
Valtteri Bottas – Alfa Romeo
Kevin Magnussen – Haas
Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin
Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes
Sergio Perez – Red Bull
Nico Hulkenberg – Haas
Lance Stroll – Aston Martin (Grid penalty to be applied)
Daniel Ricciardo – AlphaTauri
Lando Norris – McLaren
Esteban Ocon – Alpine
Zhou Guanyu – Alfa Romeo
Oscar Piastri – McLaren
Yuki Tsunoda – AlphaTauri
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