Leclerc: Las Vegas form has not lifted confidence for Abu Dhabi

Ferrari’s SF-23 car proved well-suited to the high-speed Las Vegas track last weekend, as Leclerc and team-mate Carlos Sainz were able to lock out the front row of the grid for the race in terms of qualifying pace. Sainz ultimately dropped down the grid thanks to a power unit change penalty. 

In the race, Leclerc took the battle to Red Bull and he appeared to have the pace to grab his first win of the campaign before a poorly timed safety car left him on the backfoot in terms of tyre life. 

But while his ultimate second-placed finish, having snatched the runner-up spot from Sergio Perez on the final lap, was a great result, Leclerc is aware of the special circumstances at play. 

In particular, he thinks that the unique low temperatures of Las Vegas, which meant tyre graining rather than thermal degradation was the limiting factor, was something that flattered his team. 

That is why he thinks the return to more normal conditions at Abu Dhabi, which is also quite intensive for tyres, will likely result in a much harder time for Ferrari. 

Reflecting on the Las Vegas form, Leclerc said: “I think this says a lot about our car, and we are in conditions that are like nowhere else.  

“It's very, very cold and I think overheating here is not that much of an issue. It was more graining and trying to keep those tyres in temperatures, and on that, we are pretty good.

Photo by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Images

Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari, 2nd position, celebrates with his team on arrival in Parc Ferme

“But whenever it's warmer, we struggle more. So, it doesn't give me any more confidence for the future because Abu Dhabi is going to be very different compared to here.  

“On the other hand, it's always nice to have a great weekend. And I think we've learned a lot as well for the future. So yeah, it's a good weekend overall.”

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur reckoned that fluctuations in form between teams were down to the way that cars managed their tyres – as that explained why some cars struggled so much in Brazil but were better in Las Vegas.  

“If you have a look at the Mercedes, [in Brazil], they were absolutely nowhere on the tyre management and they did a decent race this weekend,” he said. 

“From track to track, from compound to compound, it's a different story. The conditions [in Las Vegas] were quite cold compared to the rest of the season and we had good management.  

“But I think it was really the case not the last race, but a couple of races ago. It's always on the edge of tyre management."

Additional reporting by Adam Cooper