Leclerc Expects Ferrari's Struggles to Continue Beyond Las Vegas Qualifying

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc faces an uphill battle at the Las Vegas Grand Prix after a disappointing qualifying session, casting further doubt on the team's Constructors' Championship ambitions. Leclerc qualified P9, while teammate Lewis Hamilton suffered a rare Q1 exit, ending up P20.

Why it matters:

Ferrari's struggles in Las Vegas underscore a challenging season where the team, despite Leclerc's seven podiums, remains winless and is P4 in the Constructors' Championship. Their performance in a crucial qualifying session for a new, high-profile race weekend puts significant pressure on their goal to secure at least P3, if not P2, in the championship standings against Mercedes and Red Bull Racing.

The Details:

• Disappointing Qualifying: Charles Leclerc could only manage P9 in a wet-affected qualifying session in Las Vegas. His teammate, Lewis Hamilton, faced an even tougher day, being knocked out in Q1 and starting P20, a first for a Ferrari driver since 2009.
• Championship Implications: Ferrari's P4 standing in the Constructors' Championship (362 points) trails Mercedes (P2 with 398 points) and Red Bull Racing (P3 with 366 points), making the fight for a higher position increasingly difficult with only two race weekends remaining after Las Vegas.
• Leclerc's Verdict: "What I want to do is to be fighting for wins so surely it's not a car we'll miss," Leclerc stated, expressing his frustration with the current car and the team's championship prospects. He also acknowledged that securing P2 in the constructors' standings would be "difficult."
• High Downforce Strategy: Ferrari opted for a high downforce setup, typically beneficial in wet conditions, but it didn't translate into a strong qualifying performance. Leclerc anticipates a "tough to overtake" race given their starting positions and the nature of the circuit.

The Big Picture:

Ferrari's season has been a mix of promising individual performances, particularly from Leclerc, and strategic or reliability challenges that have prevented them from converting potential into victories. The Las Vegas qualifying results are a microcosm of these broader issues, highlighting the gap between their aspirations and their current on-track reality. The team's focus now shifts to damage limitation and maximizing points in the remaining races to solidify their championship position.

What's next:

Ferrari will be aiming for a strong recovery drive in the Las Vegas Grand Prix to keep their Constructors' Championship hopes alive before heading into the final two weekends in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Leclerc, despite the challenges, is determined to "make something special happen anyway," indicating a fight to gain positions. The team needs a significant performance uplift to bridge the points gap to Mercedes and Red Bull Racing in the final push of the season.