F1 star warns Vegas penalty could produce championship TWIST

Verstappen, Norris and Leclerc on the podium in Miami — Photo: © IMAGO

Las Vegas Grand Prix

F1 star warns Vegas penalty could produce championship TWIST

Charles Leclerc is worried about having to take a penalty in Las Vegas

By Jay Winter.

Thursday 14 November 2024 03:00

A grid penalty at the next race of the Formula 1 season in Las Vegas could impact an already dramatic battle for the title.

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris have been the only two fighting for the drivers' title for much of the season, while McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari all look set to squabble over the constructors' title – and with it several million dollars in prize money – right to the end of the year.

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Currently operating at the very edge of his power unit allocation, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc has been tiptoeing around a grid penalty since F1 returned from the summer break.

The Monegasque driver reached the limit of his allowed power unit components after his fourth power unit at the Dutch Grand Prix, which leaves him vulnerable with three races still left on the calendar.

Leclerc finished P5 at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix

Leclerc faces Vegas penalty risk

He has also used up the permitted five gearbox units, with only the exhaust remaining below its limit — having utilised six of the allowed eight.

With his latest ICE already powering through seven Grands Prix, including two Sprints, Leclerc is increasingly at risk of a fifth power unit, which would automatically trigger a grid penalty.

“In Las Vegas, I hope we will be very strong and not have to take a penalty there,” said Leclerc to DAZN.

Ferrari, facing an intense battle with McLaren for the Constructors’ Championship, can ill afford a setback.

McLaren lead Ferrari by 36 points in the Constructors’ Championship

The Italian team trails McLaren by 36 points, adding even more weight to the Las Vegas race where every point will count.

Leclerc, though positive after Brazil, noted the significance of his team's performance.

“We’ll take the small positive from Brazil which is that we scored a few points and seeing how quick the McLarens were, to be ahead of both of them and only lose four points in the Constructors’ Championship has to be considered a pretty good day,” he said.

On a positive note, the 2023 Las Vegas Grand saw 82 overtakes, offering some hope for Ferrari should Leclerc face a penalty.

Notably, it was in Las Vegas last season that Leclerc clinched a last-lap pass on Red Bull’s Sergio Perez to secure a dramatic second-place finish.

Las Vegas' long straights could play into Ferrari's hands

Leclerc’s ambitions this season also include a spot on the drivers’ championship podium.

He currently sits within striking distance of McLaren’s Lando Norris, trailing by just 24 points.

As Ferrari eye a strong close to their campaign with three Grand Prix victories already secured this season, including three by Leclerc, the prospect of a penalty at Las Vegas could prove pivotal in the championship battle.

With just three races to go, the suspense continues to build as Leclerc and Ferrari attempt to keep their season on track amidst the ever-present risk of grid penalties in the closing stages of a fiercely competitive year.

Red Bull Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes Formula 1