Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Autosport
Autosport
Sport

2023 F1 Las Vegas GP qualifying results: Leclerc takes pole

Leclerc will start ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and George Russell (Mercedes) after the one-hour qualifying session, which is split into three segments with five cars each being knocked out in Q1 and Q2 before the top-10 shootout of Q3.

The second Ferrari of Carlos Sainz was second quickest but drops down to 12th with a 10-place grid penalty.

Las Vegas Grand Prix grid: Leclerc on pole from Verstappen

Cla   Nº   Driver   Car / Engine   Time   Delay 
16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1'32.726  
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'33.104 0.378
63 George Russell Mercedes 1'33.112 0.386
10 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1'33.239 0.513
23 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1'33.323 0.597
2 Logan Sargeant Williams/Mercedes 1'33.513 0.787
77 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1'33.525 0.799
20 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1'33.537 0.811
14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'33.555 0.829
10  44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1'33.837 1.111
11  11 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'33.855 1.129
12  55 Carlos Sainz Jr. Ferrari 1'32.770 0.044
13  27 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1'33.979 1.253
14  3 Daniel Ricciardo AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT 1'34.308 1.582
15  4 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1'34.703 1.977
16  31 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1'34.834 2.108
17  24 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1'34.849 2.123
18  81 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1'34.850 2.124
19  18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'34.199 1.473
20  22 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT 1'36.447 3.721

What happened in Las Vegas Grand Prix Q1?

Leclerc set the pace at 1m33.617s, two tenths ahead of Sainz.

Falling at the first hurdle were Lando Norris (McLaren), Esteban Ocon (Alpine, who almost got hit by Verstappen at Turn 1 on his final attempt), Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo), Oscar Piastri (McLaren) and Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri).

Las Vegas Grand Prix Q1 results: Leclerc fastest from Sainz

Cla   Nº   Driver   Car / Engine   Time   Delay   Laps 
16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1'33.617   8
55 Carlos Sainz Jr. Ferrari 1'33.851 0.234 8
63 George Russell Mercedes 1'34.137 0.520 8
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'34.190 0.573 8
27 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1'34.265 0.648 10
10 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1'34.272 0.655 10
77 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1'34.305 0.688 9
44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1'34.307 0.690 8
20 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1'34.337 0.720 10
10  14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'34.422 0.805 9
11  18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'34.504 0.887 10
12  2 Logan Sargeant Williams/Mercedes 1'34.525 0.908 10
13  11 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'34.574 0.957 8
14  23 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1'34.634 1.017 8
15  3 Daniel Ricciardo AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT 1'34.683 1.066 10
16  4 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1'34.703 1.086 9
17  31 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1'34.834 1.217 10
18  24 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1'34.849 1.232 10
19  81 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1'34.850 1.233 10
20  22 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT 1'36.447 2.830 9

What happened in Las Vegas Grand Prix Q2?

Leclerc against set the quickest time at 1m32.775s, over half a second clear of Sainz.

Knocked out at this point were Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Sergio Perez (Red Bull), Nico Hulkenberg (Haas), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin, who also has a five-place grid penalty for overtaking under yellows in practice) and Daniel Ricciardo (AlphaTauri).

Las Vegas Grand Prix Q2 results: Leclerc fastest from Sainz

Cla   Nº   Driver   Car / Engine   Time   Delay   Laps 
16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1'32.775   9
55 Carlos Sainz Jr. Ferrari 1'33.338 0.563 8
63 George Russell Mercedes 1'33.351 0.576 7
10 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1'33.494 0.719 8
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'33.572 0.797 6
23 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1'33.588 0.813 8
14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'33.617 0.842 8
20 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1'33.664 0.889 7
2 Logan Sargeant Williams/Mercedes 1'33.733 0.958 8
10  77 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1'33.809 1.034 6
11  44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1'33.837 1.062 7
12  11 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'33.855 1.080 6
13  27 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1'33.979 1.204 7
14  18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'34.199 1.424 8
15  3 Daniel Ricciardo AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT 1'34.308 1.533 8

What happened in Las Vegas Grand Prix Q3?

On the first runs, Leclerc set the bar at 1m33.021s, 0.022s faster than Sainz.

On the final runs, Leclerc improved to 1m32.726s, 0.044s ahead of Sainz on 1m32.770s.

But Sainz has a 10-place grid penalty for replacing power unit components after his car was wrecked by hitting a loose water valve cover in FP1, and he will start 12th.

Verstappen aborted his final attempt but will start alongside Leclerc on the front row.

Russell was fourth fastest, and will start third, ahead of Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Alex Albon (Williams), Logan Sargeant (Williams), Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo), Kevin Magnussen (Haas) and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin).

Las Vegas Grand Prix Q3 results: Leclerc takes pole

Cla   Nº   Driver   Car / Engine   Time   Delay   Laps 
16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1'32.726   6
55 Carlos Sainz Jr. Ferrari 1'32.770 0.044 7
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'33.104 0.378 5
63 George Russell Mercedes 1'33.112 0.386 7
10 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1'33.239 0.513 7
23 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1'33.323 0.597 5
2 Logan Sargeant Williams/Mercedes 1'33.513 0.787 5
77 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1'33.525 0.799 4
20 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1'33.537 0.811 6
10  14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'33.555 0.829

 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.