Ferrari approached the twenty second spherical of the System 1 season with a single goal: to attempt to win. This was the end result the Scuderia aimed to attain to be able to preserve alive a dream: the Constructors’ Championship. Earlier than beginning, let’s check out the climate circumstances that the drivers encountered within the Las Vegas Grand Prix: air temperature at 18.3°C, monitor temperature at 19.7°C, very low humidity at 50%, and wind pace of three.2 kilometers per hour blowing from the heavy south.
Now let’s take an in depth have a look at how occasions unfolded for Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz within the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The whole lot is prepared with about 5 minutes remaining earlier than the beginning process begins. The Scuderia’s engineers present the same old suggestions, including that the primary 13 automobiles have opted for Medium compounds. Perez, ranging from place 14, is on Laborious tires.
Right here we go, the engines roar to life, and the drivers head out for the same old set up lap. Already throughout this lap, carry and coast is requested from each automobiles to chill the engine. Moreover, appreciable effort is positioned on tire administration. The automobiles are on the beginning grid, ready just for the inexperienced mild. Leclerc will get off to a flying begin, overtakes Gasly and Sainz, and will get behind Russell. On lap 2, each Ferrari automobiles are instructed to make use of RB place 1 mode, a mapping that helps heat up the automobile’s rear axle by adjusting brake temperatures.
Tyre saving can also be requested on lap 11. In these early phases, the Italian group is working to stabilize tire temperatures—an important transfer not just for efficiency but in addition for managing degradation. On lap 4, Leclerc makes an attempt to assault Russell, however the Brit defends effectively. Bryan Bozzi at this level reminds the group that tires should be managed, and speeding right into a struggle wouldn’t be clever. It’s higher to attend a couple of extra laps and see what unfolds. Because of this, the Monegasque driver leaves a small hole to Russell.
In the meantime, behind Charles, Sainz retains management of the state of affairs, conscious that Verstappen is lurking behind him. On lap 7, the tires lastly seem to succeed in their optimum working temperature. Ferrari decides to implement a method: Sainz, who has a greater tempo, is allowed to go and chase Russell. Furthermore, observing Leclerc’s entrance tires, the standard black marks from graining are seen. Leclerc struggles and is finally overtaken by Verstappen. All of the sudden, the Ferraris’ tires now not carry out.
Because of this, automobile quantity 16 known as to the pits, switching to Laborious compounds. The next lap, Sainz can also be compelled to cease, shifting to the white-banded Pirellis like his teammate. Again on monitor, the Ferrari automobiles are positioned in twelfth and thirteenth. The constructive observe is that the McLarens are additionally struggling and, having stopped as effectively, stay behind. Each Ferraris discover themselves in site visitors, together with Max Verstappen, who pits two laps later. Nonetheless, the Dutchman could be very expert.
The monitor engineers develop into more and more insistent on tire administration. Preserving them is essential. At this stage, it appears Carlos Sainz is already experiencing slight rear graining. Technique discussions revolve round selecting Plan A, whereas contemplating Plan C resulting from Sergio Perez, who began on Hards and is struggling together with his entrance tires. In the end, all the things is dependent upon the graining. Turns 6 and 10 are recognized as key areas of the monitor the place tire stress should be minimized. In the meantime, the 2 Ferraris overtake Perez and observe Verstappen, who’s in flip attempting to shut the hole to Russell.
Nobody anticipated such tire struggles. A state of affairs that has enormously benefited Mercedes, a automobile that suffers considerably much less in low temperatures. Third and fourth place for the Ferraris at this second. Nonetheless, bear in mind that Lewis Hamilton, additionally driving a W15, has recovered plenty of floor and is now behind Leclerc in fifth place. Plan A is confirmed, however the potential for switching to technique C stays in play. The race is at a stalemate on lap 21, with the highest 5 posting practically equivalent lap instances.
Russell, nevertheless, has a cushion of about 9 seconds over his rivals, constructed up through the first stint because of Mercedes’ superior tire administration. In the meantime, the goal lap time is ready at 37.5 seconds. This common permits the 2 Ferraris to keep up their delta with the highest two with out over-stressing the tires. The race has turned out to be tougher for the Italian automobiles than anticipated, that a lot is obvious. Nonetheless, the 2 McLarens are behind, and the race continues to be lengthy—28 laps stay earlier than the checkered flag.
Sainz experiences graining on his entrance proper tire. The Spaniard is struggling greater than his teammate in the intervening time, though Charles is going through the identical subject. The aggressive context dictates a method change for Carlos, who switches to Plan C and is seemingly imagined to yield his place to the Monegasque. Nonetheless, the operation is just too difficult as a result of Hamilton is true behind. Finally, Leclerc passes, and the Spaniard known as to the pits. Ferrari’s pit crew just isn’t prepared, and Sainz has to do one other lap, throughout which he shouts and will get very upset.
Sainz modifications tires on the next lap and, when he returns to the Las Vegas monitor, he loses his place to Hamilton, who had modified his tires the lap earlier than. A pricey error for Ferrari, which was caught unprepared. Verstappen additionally pits, whereas Leclerc extends his second stint, momentarily taking second place. Bozzi encourages the Monegasque and asks him in regards to the tires. Charles’ response is obvious: “they’re crap.” Two laps later, automobile quantity 16 can also be compelled to vary tires.
Again on monitor, the Ferrari driver finds himself behind his teammate. Bryan emphasizes the significance of managing the tires through the preliminary laps. The message is to keep away from pushing too laborious within the corners, which Leclerc reluctantly accepts. It couldn’t be in any other case, as the 2 SF-24s within the Las Vegas Grand Prix have by no means been in a position to push and present their true tempo resulting from graining points. Verstappen just isn’t far forward of the Ferraris, holding a lead of about 3 seconds. Nonetheless, the issue for Ferrari stays the identical, specifically they’ll’t push as a result of they must handle their tire compounds.
A wide range of dealing with methods are tried. For example, Sainz mentions utilizing much less steering angle to see if this strategy can cut back tire saturation and save the compounds. This measure seems to be considerably efficient. Max is struggling, and the Ferraris are closing in. The Italian pit wall requires warning, asking the drivers to assault the Dutchman with out inflicting any mishaps. The reigning F1 world champion is now underneath assault, however tire administration stays too essential for Ferrari at this stage.
The Maranello group asks the drivers to attend a couple of extra laps earlier than trying something. On lap 42, Sainz makes a transfer and overtakes Max, taking third place, as his race engineer Riccardo Adami congratulates him however reminds him about tire administration. Charles Leclerc additionally needs to assault, however the reigning world champion has DRS on Carlos, which helps him defend. Tire degradation stays underneath management. At this level, with six laps remaining, there may be successfully a practice with Verstappen sandwiched between the 2 Ferraris. Carlos is requested to extend his tempo and break away from Verstappen to push him out of DRS vary.
It appeared he would possibly succeed, however the Dutchman doesn’t give in. The Spaniard offers it his all to make Charles’ assault simpler, and he lastly manages to realize a bonus of greater than a second. The Monegasque research automobile no 1 and, with three laps to go, launches his assault and overtakes Max Verstappen. Sainz takes third place, just about on the rostrum, with Leclerc in fourth. The 2 Mercedes automobiles are within the lead. Their total tempo was not superior to Ferrari’s, however their tire administration made them quicker.
Nothing important occurs through the last corners. It’s a end result that can’t fulfill Ferrari, which had hoped for victory and a double podium. Nonetheless, there’s a constructive facet, as Ferrari positive factors useful factors over McLaren within the Constructors’ Championship. The hole narrows from 36 factors to 24, conserving the title hope alive. Talking of the Drivers’ Championship, Max Verstappen is topped F1 World Champion for the fourth time. Enormous congratulations to him, as he really made a distinction within the 2024 System 1 title struggle with a automobile that didn’t help him in addition to final season. Chapeau.
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