It’s time for qualifying for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Air temperature is 12 degrees, the track is at 14.
Q1. Both Ferraris go out on Soft tyres: Charles posts a 1’33”966, Carlos a 1’33”484. The Monegasque then improves to 1’33”446 and both go through to the second phase.
Q2. The two SF-24s leave the garage on the Softs first used in Q1, but they abort their lap. Back out on new Softs, Charles laps in 1’33”016, while Carlos sets a time of 1’33”148. They stay out and the Spaniard goes second fastest in 1’32”711, while Leclerc encounters traffic and does not improve, but still makes the cut to Q3. The session finishes early when Franco Colapinto crashes heavily into the barriers at turn 14.
Q3. After a long stoppage to clean the track and repair the barriers it was time for the decisive phase with the Ferrari drivers each having two sets of new Soft tyres available. On his first run, Carlos posted a 1’33”022, while Charles managed a 1’33”797. On the next flying lap they both improved, Leclerc provisionally quickest with a 1’32”783 before Sainz beat him with a 1’32”410. Next across the line was Pierre Gasly who split the two Ferraris and then George Russell beat Carlos by just 98 thousandths to take pole position so that Carlos and Charles finished second and fourth respectively.