Ferrari faces power unit dilemma ahead of Las Vegas GP

Charles Leclerc's hopes for a strong showing at the Las Vegas Grand Prix could be compromised by looming power unit concerns, as Ferrari weighs the possibility of a grid penalty at the crucial late-season event.

Critical power unit situation

The Monegasque driver finds himself in a precarious position regarding his power unit allocation, having already reached the limit on virtually every component.

Since taking his fourth and final permitted power unit at the Dutch Grand Prix, Leclerc has been walking a tightrope with his engine management.

The situation extends beyond just the internal combustion engine, with Leclerc at maximum allocation for his turbocharger, MGU-H, MGU-K, energy store, and control electronics.

Additionally, he's reached the five-gearbox limit that triggers penalties for further changes.

Speaking to DAZN after the Brazilian Grand Prix, where he secured fifth place, Leclerc addressed the situation:

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

Should a penalty prove unavoidable, last year's event demonstrated strong overtaking potential, with 82 passes recorded including Leclerc's memorable last-lap overtake on Sergio Perez for second place.

Ferrari's evolution under Vasseur

Despite these immediate challenges, Ferrari has shown remarkable progress throughout the season.

Currently locked in an intense battle with McLaren for championship position, trailing by 36 points, the team has secured five Grand Prix victories, with Leclerc claiming three.

Leclerc attributes much of this success to systematic improvements within the team, particularly highlighting the impact of new team principal Fred Vasseur.

"Strategy wise, we are in a much better place today,"

Leclerc explained.

"Ravin [Jain] and his team is doing an exceptional job. And on that, we have done a big step forward."

Leadership impact and future vision

The Ferrari driver particularly praised Vasseur's measured approach to team management, describing him as "very emotionally flat" professionally.

"That's exactly what's needed in Ferrari for a boss with a very clear vision and not being affected by the outside world, perception and emotions,"

Leclerc noted.

This strategic stability has helped transform previous weaknesses into strengths, with Leclerc specifically mentioning improvements in his tire management skills.

The team's passionate culture, while sometimes challenging during difficult periods, has been effectively channeled under Vasseur's leadership toward consistent performance improvements.

Looking ahead, Leclerc emphasized the team's clear vision:

"There's still a lot of room to improve in the next few years, but we have a clear vision where we are now and where we want to go in terms of development.

"Then in terms of goals, it's all very clear that we want to win the title, both titles and hopefully we'll start with one this year."