Max Verstappen says his Crimson Bull looks like “driving on ice” as he was left a good distance off the tempo on Friday on the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Verstappen completed second observe down in seventeenth as he didn’t full a lap on the smooth tyres not like the opposite front-running vehicles, with Lewis Hamilton setting the tempo from Lando Norris.
The reigning world champion aborted his first qualifying simulation, and was round eight-tenths behind Hamilton on his subsequent effort after the second sector when a pink flag was referred to as for Alex Albon’s stricken Williams.
Verstappen may seal the title in Sunday’s race in Las Vegas at 6am, stay on Sky Sports activities F1 and Sky Sports activities Fundamental Occasion, if he finishes forward of Norris.
“We struggled a lot with making the tyres work over one lap. The long runs started off more competitive but even there we need to finetune a few things but the one-lap pace is far off,” mentioned Verstappen.
“The conditions are the same for everyone. We need to understand what we are doing wrong at the moment.”
Crimson Bull had been down within the pace traps and Helmut Marko revealed the group have the unsuitable rear wing which has put them on the again foot.
Verstappen thinks the cooler Las Vegas temperatures, that are the coldest of the 12 months at F1 with an air temperature of round 12 levels Celsius, is a key think about Crimson Bull’s lack of tempo.
“For me, it feels massively tyre-related. The balance of the car is not even wrong I think,” he mentioned.
“We just have no grip, like driving on ice at the moment.”
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Lewis Hamilton tops each P1 and P2 in Las Vegas, as the issues at Williams proceed
Norris: Excessive gas run was ‘surprising’
Norris was simply 0.011s behind Hamilton in second observe on a weekend he is hoping to maintain his title hopes alive.
McLaren have had robust race tempo at most occasions for the reason that Miami Grand Prix in Could however Norris is worried about his efficiency with extra gas within the automotive on Friday.
“It was so-so. I think the low-fuel stuff has been ok. The high fuel I was shocking, so plenty of things to look into,” mentioned Norris.
“These type of mixtures of issues and what we battle with the entrance graining and stuff, I am simply not excellent at it. It is at all times a little bit of a battle for me.
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Lando Norris admitted he struggled to run the automotive with increased gas throughout observe, regardless of coming second in FP2 on the Las Vegas Grand Prix
“A good amount of time to work on it. Two halves really. Good low fuel and difficult high fuel.”
Norris crashed out at excessive pace in final 12 months’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, which was one in all McLaren’s weaker circuits in 2023.
The British driver additionally backed up Verstappen’s feedback in regards to the low grip.
“It’s just very difficult, super low grip. I feel like I could drive a road car quicker than we drive at the minute. Mixed feelings,” he mentioned.
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Sky Sports activities’ Ted Kravitz explains why the drivers are struggling to enter the pit lane on the Las Vegas GP
What about Ferrari?
Ferrari had been anticipated to be robust in Las Vegas after Charles Leclerc was near the win final 12 months and, on paper, the traits of the observe structure go well with their automotive with lengthy straights and loads of key traction zones.
With simply three races to go, Ferrari must make inroads on McLaren within the Constructors’ Championship to whittle down their 36-point deficit.
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz had been each within the prime 5 in second observe however had the automotive to beat on the lengthy runs.
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Mercedes group principal Toto Wolff poked enjoyable at Ferrari group principal Fred Vasseur over Lewis Hamilton being denied an early Ferrari take a look at attributable to his Mercedes contract
“What we expected happened. We are struggling a bit with tyre temperature. Mercedes look strong, they have been aggressive with tyres all year,” mentioned Leclerc.
“We need to find something to turn the situation around but we are not so far off. We are very strong in race pace, a bit less strong in qualifying, which is the story of our season.
“I simply hope overtaking is as simple as final 12 months. Whether it is, it’s higher to be in our place.”
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Sky Sports activities’ David Croft places F1 followers on the Las Vegas strip to the take a look at
Sainz thinks aside from the dramatic 2020 Turkish Grand Prix, he has not raced on such a low-grip observe in F1.
“Everyone’s in the same boat. It’s a fine line between having the tyres ready or not ready,” he added.
“We are in the mix. Maybe we are not performing as strong as everyone thinks, so we have some homework to do.
“Over one lap we appear to have some work to do however the race tempo is OK.”
Sky Sports activities F1’s stay Las Vegas GP schedule
Saturday November 23
2.15am: Las Vegas GP Apply Three*
5am: Las Vegas GP Qualifying build-up*
6am: LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING*
8am: Ted’s Qualifying Pocket book*
Sunday November 24
4.30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Las Vegas GP build-up*
6am: THE LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX*
8am: Chequered Flag: Las Vegas GP response*
9am: Ted’s Pocket book*
*additionally stay on Sky Sports activities Fundamental Occasion
Method 1 returns with the Las Vegas Grand Prix this weekend, stay on Sky Sports activities F1 the place Max Verstappen may seal the championship. Stream the ultimate three F1 races and extra with a NOW Sports activities Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime
