F1 News: Ferrari’s Constructor’s Championship Pursuit Faces Penalty Threat For Las Vegas GP

Saajan Jogia | Nov 12, 2024

Nov 18, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco (16) drives during the Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images / Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has revealed that his SF-24 may require a full power unit component replacement, likely resulting in a grid penalty for the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix. This setback could impact Ferrari's pursuit of the Constructors' Championship.

With just three races remaining in the 2024 season, Ferrari trails leading team McLaren by 36 points, while Leclerc, who is third in the Drivers' Standings, trails McLaren's Lando Norris by 24 points. Mathematically, Ferrari can make it to the top provided both its drivers manage to outperform the McLaren drivers consistently.

However, Leclerc has not only reached the 5-gearbox limit on his car but has hit the ceiling with the MGU-H, MGU-K, engine, turbocharger, energy store, and control electronics. The limit for the season's allowance had been reached at Zandvoort itself. If Ferrari decides to swap the parts with a new power unit, the Monegasque driver could start at the back of the grid.

2024 has seen several drivers taking the engine penalty, with the recent ones being VCARB's Liam Lawson at the United States Grand Prix, where he had to start from the back of the grid in his official full-time Formula 1 debut race. The most recent Sao Paulo Grand Prix saw Max Verstappen use an additional internal combustion engine, for which he attracted a 5-position grid penalty.

Leclerc hopes to manage without a new power unit in Las Vegas to avoid the penalty. Speaking to DAZN in Brazil, as quoted by PlanetF1, he said:

“We’ll take the small positive from Brazil which is that we scored a few points and seeing how quick the McLarens were, to be ahead of both of them and only lose four points in the Constructors’ Championship has to be considered a pretty good day.

“In Las Vegas I hope we will be very strong and not have to take a penalty there.”

The 27-year-old driver acknowledged the improvements made by the team this year, evident in the 5 victories thus far, 3 of which were secured by him. He added:

“Well, I think there were a few weaknesses.

“First, when I arrived in the team, I think tyre management on my side was always a weakness back then. And I think now it actually became one of my strengths.

“I think as a team, we have improved the way we have we are working together. And that’s small steps every year, but small steps in the right direction, and that makes a difference.

“I think, strategy wise, we are in a much better place today. Ravin [Jain] and his team is doing an exceptional job. And on that, we have done a big step forward.

“And then, of course, there’s the arrival of Fred inside the team that I think has done a lot of good to the team, mostly because, as I’ve said many times, I think the really good thing about Ferrari is that there’s a lot of passion inside the team, and that helps to push people even over the normal work hours, just because they love so much their job and it means so much that they do more."