Leclerc equals Lauda for second in the list of most Ferrari poles, Williams record their second double Q3 appearance of the year while both McLarens are out in Q1. Here are the facts and statistics from qualifying at the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix!
LECLERC ON POLE AT THE 2023 LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX
Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in qualifying for the fourth time this year at the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix and secured his fifth pole position of the year.
This was the 23rd pole position of Leclerc’s career, moving ahead of Fernando Alonso to 14th in the all-time pole position list. He also equalled Niki Lauda for second in the list of most pole positions recorded with Ferrari. This was Ferrari’s 249th pole position in total.
This was the fourth consecutive race at which Leclerc qualified on the front row.
Leclerc has failed to convert all of his last 11 pole positions into victory. If past form at new venues in the United States is anything to go by, he’s unlikely to do so at the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix. The last polesitter to convert pole into a win in the first race for a new venue on the World Championship calendar was Clay Regazzoni at the 1976 United States Grand Prix West – the first race held at Long Beach.
IN THE TOP TEN
Carlos Sainz recorded his fifth front row qualification of the 2023 season, though he’ll start 12th due to a grid penalty.
George Russell progressed to Q3 for the tenth consecutive race, qualifying in the top four for the first time since the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix.
Pierre Gasly qualified in fifth place, recording his first top five qualification since the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix.
For the second time in 2023 – after the Dutch Grand Prix – both Williams drivers reached Q3 at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Alex Albon qualified sixth, recording his third top six qualification in the last nine races.
This was only the fifth time this year that Logan Sargeant made it out of Q1. He qualified in seventh place, recording the best qualifying result of his Formula 1 career to date.
Ferrari and Williams were the only teams to record double Q3 appearances at the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Valtteri Bottas qualified in the top ten for the fifth time in 2023. With eighth place, he recorded his best qualifying result since the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Kevin Magnussen made his and the Haas team’s first Q3 appearance since the Singapore Grand Prix, qualifying in ninth.
OUT IN Q2
Lewis Hamilton just missed out on Q3 at the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix by 0.028 seconds, qualifying in 11th place. This was Hamilton’s third Q2 exit of the 2023 season and the first time he qualified 11th since the 2010 Australian Grand Prix.
Hamilton’s Q2 exit ended a streak of seven consecutive Q3 appearances.
For the ninth time this season, Sergio Perez failed to reach Q3 at the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix, qualifying in 12th place.
OUT IN Q1
For the second time in 2023, McLaren recorded a double Q1 exit with Lando Norris 16th and Oscar Piastri 19th. Both drivers were also out in Q1 at the Miami Grand Prix.
This was the fifth Q1 elimination of Norris’ career, after the 2019 German Grand Prix, the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the 2023 Miami Grand Prix and the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix.
Piastri also recorded the fifth Q1 exit of his career and qualified on the back row for the second time, after the 2023 Miami Grand Prix.
Esteban Ocon qualified 17th for the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix – his worst qualifying result since setting the 18th fastest time in Q1 at the 2023 Italian Grand Prix.
After a mistake on his final attempt in qualifying, Yuki Tsunoda qualified last for the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix. This was the fifth time Tsunoda has qualified last in his career – the first time he has done so since the 2022 Canadian Grand Prix.
