Formula 1: Leclerc on pole, Gasly fourth, the starting grid for the Las Vegas Grand Prix

2023-11-19 02:31:46

It’s almost starting to become a habit. For the third time in four races, Charles Leclerc will start in the lead on Sunday morning (7 a.m.), during the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the penultimate on the program this season. The Monegasque, winner of qualifying, will start in pole position ahead of Max Verstappen, already crowned world champion.

For Leclerc, the challenge will obviously be to finally make this pole position profitable, after having started in the lead four times without success this season. The latter will try to offer a second victory to Ferrari (after Carlos Sainz at Monza), so as to temper the total hegemony of Red Bull (winner of 19 of the 20 Grand Prix contested). He will then only have one chance of victory left, in Abu Dhabi next weekend.

Verstappen will aim for an 18th victory this season, after having lambasted the Las Vegas circuit. “It’s 99% show and 1% sport,” he said Wednesday, pointing out the course’s “lack” of turns. His teammate Sergio Pérez will start in 11th position, alongside Carlos Sainz (12th), Leclerc’s friend.

For his part, Frenchman Pierre Gasly will start on the second row (4th), alongside George Russell (Mercedes). His friend at Alpine, Esteban Ocon, was relegated to 16th position and had an altercation with Verstappen during qualifying. The world champion did not mince his words and blurted out “What a stupid idiot! ” on the radio.

The starting grid

1st line:

Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari)

Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull)

2nd line:

George Russell (GBR/Mercedes)

Pierre Gasly (FRA/Alpine-Renault)

3rd line:

Alexander Albon (THA/Williams-Mercedes)

Logan Sargeant (USA/Williams-Mercedes)

4th line:

Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Alfa Romeo-Ferrari)

Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas-Ferrari)

5th line:

Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin-Mercedes)

Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes)

6th line:

Sergio Pérez (MEX/Red Bull)

Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Ferrari)

7th line:

Nico Hülkenberg (GER/Haas-Ferrari)

Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/AlphaTauri-Red Bull)

8th line:

Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes)

Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine-Renault)

9th line:

Zhou Guanyu (CHN/Alfa Romeo-Ferrari)

Oscar Piastri (AUS/McLaren-Mercedes)

10th line:

Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin-Mercedes)

Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/AlphaTauri-Red Bull)