Ferrari's tire gains may undermine Las Vegas edge

Charles Leclerc and Ferrari face an unexpected challenge - their own progress on tire management could become a double-edged sword.

Leclerc's Vegas triumph in Jeopardy?

Last year's inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix proved a rare bright spot in an otherwise difficult season for the Scuderia, with Leclerc and Carlos Sainz locking out the front row.

Leclerc looked poised for his first and only victory of 2022 until a late safety car intervention allowed Max Verstappen to steal the win.

However, Leclerc now believes Ferrari's dramatic improvements in tire wear and race pace throughout 2023 may actually work against them at the Vegas circuit.

"It is true also, and I was thinking about that earlier, that this year we've done a big step in tyre management, which means that we also left something behind in cold conditions and tyre temperatures,"

the Monegasque driver explained.

Ferrari's tire struggles turn to strengths

The Las Vegas track, with its cold conditions and the need for rapid tire warm-up, actually played to Ferrari's strengths last year, when the team was still grappling with major tire management issues. Leclerc acknowledged this, noting:

"Las Vegas is a bit of that scenario as well."

However, Ferrari's progress in addressing its tire woes has made it a competitive force on a wide range of circuits this season, keeping them firmly in the hunt for the constructors' championship.

"We were very strong last year; the characteristics of the track are better for our car,"

Leclerc said.

"However, I think it might be a bit trickier for us to put those in the [right] temperatures."

Assessing Ferrari's title chances

While Leclerc remains hopeful about Ferrari's prospects in Las Vegas and the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he is less optimistic about the upcoming Qatar race.

"Unfortunately, I think that Qatar will be a bit more difficult and it will be more about damage limitation,"

he admitted.

With the constructors' championship gap to McLaren growing to 46 points in Brazil, Sainz acknowledged the team will need to refocus and regroup to make the most of the final three races.

"We will be alive until the very end,"

he assured.

As Ferrari navigates this delicate balance between their past and present strengths, the team's ability to adapt and capitalize on the unique characteristics of the Las Vegas circuit could prove crucial in their pursuit of championship glory.