After a disappointing weekend in Interlagos, Brazil, Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes made a surprising turnaround in the practice sessions at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Contrary to expectations, it was not Red Bull, McLaren, or Ferrari but Mercedes that claimed the top spots after two practice sessions filled with challenges for other teams.
FP1: Mercedes Dominates the Opening Session
As the sun set over the Las Vegas circuit and the floodlights illuminated the track, FP1 began at 6:30 PM local time. Drivers faced cool temperatures and a low-grip surface, leading to frequent slips and errors. Championship contenders Max Verstappen and Lando Norris both struggled, overshooting Turn 14 early in the session.
Thirty minutes in, Lewis Hamilton clocked the fastest lap, with teammate George Russell and Norris following closely. After a switch to soft tires, Norris briefly secured P1 with a 1:35.954 lap, ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Verstappen only managed P6, with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly—fresh off a podium in Brazil—facing technical issues with his steering wheel.
Late in the session, Mercedes switched to the red-marked soft tires, and Russell set two successive fastest laps. However, Hamilton ultimately reclaimed P1 with an impressive 1:35.001, nearly 0.4 seconds clear of the competition. Mercedes secured a 1-2 finish, followed by Norris, Leclerc, Verstappen, Sainz, and Fernando Alonso. Aston Martin’s Alonso edged out Piastri, Gasly, and Sergio Perez, who rounded out the top 10.
FP2: Hamilton Secures a Double on Day One
Hamilton continued his dominance in FP2, topping the timesheets with a 1:33.825 on soft tires. He narrowly beat Norris by 0.011 seconds, with Russell 0.19 seconds behind in third. Hamilton’s lap came just before a red flag caused by Alexander Albon’s Williams stopping on track due to a fuel system failure.
Ferrari drivers Sainz and Leclerc secured P4 and P5, while Alpine’s Gasly achieved P6 despite traffic issues. Haas showed strong form with Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg finishing P7 and P9, sandwiching McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. Yuki Tsunoda bounced back from the bottom of FP1 to claim P10.
Meanwhile, Verstappen and Red Bull had a night to forget. Verstappen struggled with grip issues, completing only one soft-tire lap before the red flag, leaving him in P17. Sergio Perez fared worse, finishing P19 due to similar difficulties.
The session concluded with Williams at the back, Albon and Franco Colapinto in P18 and P20, respectively. As teams analyze data from these sessions, the focus now shifts to adjustments ahead of FP3 and Friday’s qualifying.
