How Hulkenberg out-ran Hamilton for the third time this year: Interactive data · RaceFans

Midway by the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg had the works Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton filling his mirrors.

They each began on the identical methods and Hamilton appeared poised to leapfrog his rival. His race engineer Ricardo Adami informed him he was probably on target to complete sixth.

As a substitute, for the third time this yr, Hamilton adopted Hulkenberg house. What went fallacious?

After the blunder in qualifying which left him nineteenth on the grid, Hamilton might hardly have hoped for a greater begin to the grand prix. A multi-car tangle on the first nook propelled him to thirteenth place and he gained one other spot when Liam Lawson dropped again with entrance wing harm.

Hamilton handed Ocon however couldn’t get by Hulkenberg

However Hamilton was working a comparatively steep rear wing on his Ferrari and located overtaking tough. He got here beneath assault from Alexander Albon at one stage.

Ferrari began him on the onerous tyres and it took him till lap 20 to search out his well beyond Esteban Ocon’s medium-shod Haas. From there he started to edge his method in direction of Hulkenberg, who was additionally on hards.

It took Hamilton eight laps to creep inside DRS vary of Hulkenberg. Ferrari have been poised to carry him in early, hoping to pit earlier than the Sauber and bounce Hamilton forward.

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Ferrari appeared to attempt to dupe Sauber into pitting too early, telling Hamilton to “field reverse Sauber” at one level, then cancelling the order as he neared the pit lane entrance. Quickly afterwards got here the actual name: Hulkenberg stayed out and Hamilton arrived in for a contemporary set of medium rubber.

He expressed concern concerning the size of stint that would go away him with on the mediums. Adami informed him to introduce his tyres fastidiously. “Precedence is tyres,” he stated, “gradual intro, two laps.”

That will clearly make it tougher for Hamilton to ‘undercut’ Hulkenberg. Furthermore, he emerged from the pits a brief distance forward of Fernando Alonso. The Aston Martin driver caught Hamilton’s DRS on the Strip and compelled him to defend at flip 14, costing him important time.

Hamilton identified Ferrari hadn’t warned him concerning the menace: “Didn’t realise I had Alonso behind me.”

Sauber reacted on the next lap, bringing Hulkenberg in. It wasn’t among the many faster stops, although nor was Hamilton’s. Regardless that Hulkenberg spent round seven tenths of a second longer within the pits, he nonetheless emerged comfortably forward of Hamilton.

If Ferrari hoped Hamilton would have the tempo to assault the Sauber on the medium tyre compound they have been swiftly disillusioned. He by no means acquired inside vary of Hulkenberg and as an alternative dropped again near Ocon. Simply as in Catalunya and Silverstone, Hulkenberg had seen off Hamilton’s Ferrari.

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2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix lap chart

The positions of every driver on each lap. Click on title to spotlight, right-click to reset. Toggle drivers utilizing controls beneath:

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2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix race chart

The gaps between every driver on each lap in comparison with the chief’s common lap time. Very massive gaps omitted. Scroll to zoom, drag to pan and right-click to reset. Toggle drivers utilizing controls beneath:

2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix lap occasions

All of the lap occasions by the drivers (in seconds, very gradual laps excluded). Scroll to zoom, drag to pan and toggle drivers utilizing the management beneath:

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