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Formula 1
Las Vegas GP
F1 Las Vegas GP Live Commentary and Updates – Race
Minute-by-minute updates for the 2023 Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix
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After a difficult Friday with FP1 being called off after eight minutes due to a dislodged water value cover that caused damage to Carlos Sainz's Ferrari and Esteban Ocon's Alpine, and then FP2 being run in front of empty grandstands, F1 enjoyed a far more positive Saturday.
Charles Leclerc secured pole position with Max Verstappen set to line up in second after Sainz was hit with a 10-place penalty - this coming after Ferrari replaced his battery as part of the repair work needed following his early-event incident.
George Russell is third but Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez start 10th and 11th.
The grand prix will get under way at 6am GMT.
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Perez just doesn't have the top speed to compete. He's overtaken by Verstappen around the outside before they even reach Turn 14. Verstappen is up to second and chasing Leclerc once again.
Leclerc retakes the lead with an identical move at Turn 14 to dive the inside of Perez on lap 35.
Leclerc as kept within DRS range of Perez but both have bigger worries behind with Verstappen charging towards them. Verstappen is still setting fastest laps and will catch them both in a lap or two.
The Alpine pair are fighting for fifth and Ocon is told to hold position over team radio, but he's keeping the place ahead of Gasly as they go side-by-side.
Rather quietly, Albon is racing in P7 for Williams and looks likely to pick up points while AlphaTauri are struggling in P17 and 19.
Verstappen, up to fourth, isn't out of the picture at the front too. He's setting fastest laps for fun as he overtakes Piastri at Turn 14 to move up to third.
Perez takes the lead! He dives up the inside of Leclerc at Turn 14 and places his car perfectly. Can Leclerc respond?
That's our one and only tortured Vegas and gambling metaphor for this race.
Perez is locked onto the rear of Leclerc and is looking for a move. In the home of gambling, the cards have fallen Perez's way so far with the safety cars, but can he check out with the biggest prize?
Quote
From P17, Hamilton reports that "the wind has picked up".
Hulkenberg passes Ricciardo around the outside of Turns 3-4 for P15. That's not something you see all too often!
Piastri makes a great move on Gasly into Turn 7 to take third place.
Leclerc makes the jump coming out of Turn 16, keeping clear of Perez, who defends from Gasly into Turn 1.
Penalty
And there is the judgement. A five-second penalty for Russell.
OPINION: Verstappen was significantly alongside heading through Turn 11 and deserved some space. However, there is only one real line through Turn 12 and two into one doesn't always go.
Russell naively did not expect the dive but probably should have left space or been more aware.
Russell naively did not expect the dive but probably should have left space or been more aware.
The safety car is in this lap, just as Leclerc almost drops his car on cold tyres. Here we go again!
The Sphere is bright yellow with a 'safety car' banner to tell us what we already know. Thanks, Sphere.
The incident involving Russell and Verstappen is now under investigation.
Here's the new top 10 order behind the safety car: Leclerc, Perez, Gasly, Piastri, Verstappen, Ocon, Stroll, Albon, Russell, Sainz.
So, Leclerc leads but has Perez directly behind on slightly fresher tyres. This has worked out really well for the Mexican.
Pit stop
The safety car has been called to clear the debris from the track. Perez, Stroll, Verstappen, Russell, Sainz and Alonso all pit.
Verstappen was clearly alongside and yes, he is alongside but that was a real 50-50.
Safety car
The safety car has been deployed!
Front wing damage for Versappten as he accuses Russell of 'just pulling in on me'. No sign of an investigation yet.
Leclerc has cleared Stroll amid the carnage behind so he is up to second and 11.2s behind Perez.
After passing Sainz on the last lap, Verstappen is now all over Russell - and there's contact between the pair at Turn 12!
Stopwatch
The extra point is taken back from Verstappen, as Piastri registers a 1m37.763s. He's currently in P10 and 1.2s off Gasly, so would be eligible to claim the point.
Perez leads Stroll by 9.3s, with Leclerc a further 2.1s back, so this race will now percolate between the one vs two-stoppers.
So, Perez leads an F1 race for the first time since what feels like his last win back in Baku. Given he pitted so early due to damage you'd suspect he'll need to stop again, as will Stroll, so it is advantage Leclerc. But a safety car could flip this race entirely.
Stopwatch
Here comes Verstappen. He's back up to P7 and has just set a new fastest lap of the race with a 1m37.880s.
Pit stop
Leclerc pits at the end of lap 21, swapping his mediums for hards in a 3.9s stop, and coms out in third behind Perez and Stroll.
Pit stop
Leclerc is half a second slower than Perez per lap, as he continues on his aging mediums. Ocon pits to ditch his mediums to hards and comes out in 12th.
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has confirmed Piastri had suffered a puncture in the contact with Hamilton. He also says Norris is still in the medical centre being checked before returning to the team.
Pit stop
Hamilton reports, "The car's not stopping." He now pits but it's slow - 6.3s - as Mercedes assesses the damage. The race director noted the incident but no further action is the rapid decision.
Perez is flying on the hards, overtaking the yet-to-stop Ocon to get up to second place, and is just 14s off Leclerc.
Pit stop
Pitstops aplenty now, as Gasly pits a later after Verstappen, and comes out in 10th and behind his former team-mate. Leclerc leads from Ocon and Perez.
Pit stop
A puncture for Hamilton as the pits begin to get busy. The Mercedes driver dove for the inside to pass Piastri at the end of The Strip and made contact.
Piastri pitted immediately with a shower of sparks.
Piastri pitted immediately with a shower of sparks.
Pit stop
Verstappen serves his penalty in the pitstop and comes out in 11th.
But not before Leclerc overtakes him on the track! Leclerc dives down the inside at Turn 14, and moments later Verstappen pits.
Leclerc is attacking Verstappen, who says his tyres have fallen off the cliff. He's about to pit from the lead.
By: Autosport Staff
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