Las Vegas is one of the world’s party capitals and Charles Leclerc will undoubtedly want to pop the sparkling wine corks there.
The Ferrari driver will start first in the penultimate F1 race of the season, while teammate Carlos Sainz set the second best time in the qualifying rounds.
However, Sainz was fined ten places on the official starting grid after his team was forced to make repairs to his Ferrari after a chaotic first practice session.
Sainz’s race car was damaged when it hit a manhole cover and the session was suspended after just nine minutes.
The Ferrari was towed off the track and the team had to change several power unit components so the Spaniard could take part in the postponed second session.
But back to Leclerc.
The Monte Carlo native was persuaded to convert his starting grid success into an overall first place.
“Of course I am very satisfied. Las Vegas is an incredible race and it’s great to jump off first. Now I have to give my best and keep my fingers crossed that everything falls into place for us during the race.
“If we work hard enough to win, we can celebrate the victory with a good party!” he joked.
Max Verstappen jumps off second in his Red Bull, followed by George Russell in his Mercedes and then Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.
- Starting grid:
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
- Alex Albon (Williams)
- Logan Sargeant (Williams)
- Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo)
- Kevin Magnussen (Hare)
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
- Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
- Nico Hulkenberg (Hare)
- Daniel Ricciardo (AlphaTauri)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
- Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
- Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri)
