F1 hits jackpots, manhole hits Sainz - 2023 Las Vegas GP Review

Nov 19, 2023

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What a race, just what a race! The inaugural 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix was Formula 1 hitting a jackpot, at least on-track. Just the way a manhole hit Carlos Sainz on-track on Thursday.

If the racing is good, do we forget the teething issues that Formula 1 faced in Las Vegas? Well, at least, in the first half of this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, we've chosen to do so.

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When last did we see the top-3 battle for the lead of the race in the way Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez do so in Las Vegas? Could Charles Leclerc have won the race if not for the second Safety Car? Why could Sergio Perez not keep the lead of the race ahead of Leclerc? How is it that Ferrari suddenly had better tyre wear than all their rivals, Red Bull Racing included? Why did Ferrari choose to not pit Leclerc under the second SC, just as Red Bull Racing did?

Was Max Verstappen justified in taking pot shots at the Las Vegas Grand Prix overall? And of course, his shots at everyone who came in his firing range of opinions about everything Formula 1? How did Lance Stroll and Esteban Ocon recover from a Q1 elimination to a top-5 finish? Also, is the five-second time penalty justified or should the FIA necessitate a swap on-track?

Just how was the racing so good? How did McLaren mess up the weekend? How was Red Bull Racing unbeatable despite being only-second quickest in both, the slow speed and straightline?

And finally, the key insight as to why Red Bull Racing and several other finishers in the top-10 chose fresh rubber for the Safety Car restarts.

Soumil Arora, @f1statsguru and Kunal Shah bring to you our 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix review episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast.