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Final starting line-up | Leclerc and Verstappen in front, Sainz penalised

Final starting line-up | Leclerc and Verstappen front row, Sainz penalised

19 November 2023 at 04:38
  • Matt Gretton
  • Editor-in-Chief

Max Verstappen finished behind both Ferraris in qualifying for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, yet the Red Bull Racing driver will start from the front row alongside pole-sitter Charles Leclerc. That has everything to do with the grid penalty for Carlos Sainz, who had qualified second, narrowly behind his teammate.

Sainz has a 10-place grid penalty applied to his starting position and therefore starts from P12. This moves Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez up a place, but that will be a cold comfort for the drivers who were both out in Q2.

Behind Leclerc and Verstappen, George Russell and Pierre Gasly will start from the second row. The third row of the grid is fully occupied by Williams drivers Alexander Albon and Logan Sargeant, who set a very impressive qualifying time, especially for Sargeant, a result he desperately needed towards the end of his contract period.

Final starting grid GP Las Vegas