David Croft claims Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc caught F1 rival ‘napping’ at Las Vegas GP

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Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft feels Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc caught Sergio Perez ‘napping’ whilst overtaking the Red Bull driver for the lead of the Las Vegas GP.

The tussle for P1 around Sin City was a fight between Leclerc and Perez in the middle phase of the race. A five-second time penalty for Max Verstappen removed the 2023 F1 champion from the battle. But the Red Bull star recovered to win F1’s first race in Las Vegas since 1982.

Leclerc had started the Las Vegas GP from pole position with Verstappen in P2 after topping qualifying. But the third-fastest driver in Q3 got the better start and pushed his way into the lead. Verstappen drove Leclerc off the road and refused to return the position to the Ferrari.

Red Bull’s strategy brought Perez into the fight with Leclerc

Perez also hit trouble into the first corner as he required a new front wing after running into the rear of Valtteri Bottas’ Alfa Romeo. The Mexican had nowhere to go when Bottas pulled up trying to avoid Fernando Alonso following the Aston Martin driver’s T1 spin at the start.

But Red Bull pitting Perez allowed the 33-year-old to work his way up the order after his dire qualifying attempt. He set the 12th fastest lap in Q2 but started from P11 after Carlos Sainz’s grid penalty. An alternative strategy then put Perez in a great position to gain several places.

A safety car period caused by McLaren driver Lando Norris crashing out of the Las Vegas GP gave Red Bull their chance to stop Perez. They also took advantage of the second safety car period triggered from Verstappen and George Russell making contact and scattering debris.

Ferrari’s Leclerc caught Perez ‘napping’ at the Las Vegas GP

Ferrari opted not to pit Leclerc under the second safety car with the 26-year-old leading the Las Vegas GP. But his time in P1 was short-lived afterwards as Perez got the lead on Lap 32. The Mexican utilised DRS to breeze past the Monegasque but his lead was also short-lived.

Leclerc stuck with Perez and regained P1 into T14 during the 35th tour of the Las Vegas Strip Circuit. He pulled out at the last moment to send his Ferrari ahead of the Red Bull under the brakes. And Croft felt Leclerc caught Perez out with the 33-year-old not expecting a move.

Croft said on Sky Sports F1 (19/11, 07:09): “You have got to be a little bit careful cos if you’re not banging in the laps, you might get passed again. And was that Sergio Perez [being] caught napping a little bit? Cos guess what? Charles Leclerc has retaken the lead!”

Alice Powell, seemingly, shared Croft’s view as she noted on BBC Radio 5 Live: “That was a very good job. [Leclerc] caught Sergio Perez by surprise, there. He actually started turning into the corner didn’t he, Perez, and had to jink out of it.”

But Leclerc’s lead would again be short-lived as Verstappen overtook his Red Bull teammate Perez and then the Ferrari driver by Lap 37. The 2023 F1 champion then controlled his pace to win. Yet the fight between Leclerc and Perez over P2 went to the finish in Leclerc’s favour.