PACE ANALYSIS: How did performance delta help Russell score his third F1 victory?

Mercedes showcased a surprising performance at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, securing their first double victory since the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. F1Technical’s Balazs Szabo presents his performance analysis after the F1 round in Nevada.

Heading into the Las Vegas weekend, Ferrari were expected to perform well, but they were taken aback by Mercedes’ unexpected display of strength.

Despite starting the race with promising positions, with Carlos Sainz in second and Charles Leclerc in fourth for the 50-lap Nevada round, the Ferrari drivers faced challenges. Leclerc made a remarkable start, moving up to second at the first corner while Sainz dropped to third.

Although the Ferrari drivers seemed to have the edge in the initial stages of the race, their tires deteriorated rapidly on Lap 8, leading to a pitstop for a new set of hard tires. Despite this setback, they showcased impressive pace on the hard tires, enabling them to climb through the field and secure third and fourth places for the Scuderia behind the dominant Mercedes duo of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.

During his third F1 win out of 126 Grand Prix starts, Russell had a strong start, avoiding trouble at the challenging first corner. Initially, Leclerc and Sainz appeared faster, with the Ferrari drivers posting faster lap times than Russell. However, Leclerc’s pace dropped significantly, prompting a pitstop on Lap 9 due to excessive graining on his front medium tires.

Hamilton, who started from P10 on the grid, maneuvered his way into the podium battle by Lap 10 and 11. He showcased impressive pace, overtaking the Ferrari drivers and closing in on the leaders.

Hamilton’s resurgence is evident in the data analysis, showing his consistent improvement throughout the race. Verstappen also maintained steady pace, although slightly slower than Russell on average.

Norris, with a mathematical chance to win the F1 Drivers’ title, struggled for consistent performance during the race. He faced challenges with tire management but showed improvement in the final stint.

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