Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari celebrates his pole position in qualifying parc ferme. 17.11.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 22, Las Vegas Grand Prix, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, Qualifying Day. – www.xpbimages.com, EMail: [email protected] © Copyright: Moy / XPB Images
Despite claiming a 23rd pole position with a 1:32.726s lap time around the streets of Las Vegas, Scuderia Ferrar’s Charles Leclerc was “disappointed” with his performance in the Q3 top-10 shootout.
Leclerc will line up on the front of the grid for the Las Vegas Grand Prix alongside Max Verstappen who will line up second despite abandoning his final Q3 run and finishing with the third fastest time.
Carlos Sainz set the second-fastest time in qualifying, just 0.044s shy of Leclerc, but a 10-place grid penalty means he’ll start the race from 12th.
However, even though Leclerc claimed yet another pole position, the Monagasque driver felt he left more lap time on the table after getting out of the car.
“Obviously, it’s an incredible event and to be starting from pole tomorrow is great,” he said.
“However, a bit disappointed with my laps in Q3.
“I didn’t do a good enough job, but it was enough for P1.
“So that’s all we need.
“I think my best lap was in Q2, which the track evolution is big here, so I should have done it in Q3, but I didn’t.
“But again, it’s like this and we are starting from pole, so I cannot complain.”
Pole sitter Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari SF-23 arrives in parc ferme. 17.11.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 22, Las Vegas Grand Prix, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, Qualifying Day. – www.xpbimages.com, EMail: [email protected] © Copyright: Moy / XPB Images
A 23rd pole position for Leclerc gives him a chance to fight Verstappen for victory in the Vegas GP, although his pole-to-win conversion record works against him, as does Red Bull’s race record in 2023.
Leclerc is yet to add to his five GP victories, with his last triumph coming in Austria last year.
Verstappen meanwhile, has won 17 races in 2023 and Red Bull has won all but one of the Grands Prix this year, with the only outlier being Leclerc’s teammate Carlos Sainz in Singapore.
So whilst the one-lap battle was won by Leclerc and Ferrari in Vegas, he is well aware that it will be a hard task come race day to beat Red Bull.
“Now full focus is on tomorrow to try and put everything together in the race,” he said.
“Normally that’s where we lack most performance, so I hope we can put it all together and win here.”
Keyword: Vegas polesitter Leclerc ‘disappointed’ with Q3 laps