Get ready for an intense race weekend in Las Vegas! The city of sin is about to witness an epic battle on the track. Lando Norris, driving for McLaren, showed his mettle by topping the second practice session at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. But here's where it gets controversial... a potential issue with a manhole cover brought an early end to the session, leaving some key players without a chance to set their best times.
After a tricky start, Norris and his team seemed to find their groove, with Norris setting a blistering pace of 1:33.602, just edging out Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes by a slim margin of 0.029s. However, the final timesheet is a bit of a teaser, as some of the top contenders, including Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen, along with the Ferraris and George Russell, didn't get a chance to push their soft tyres to the limit.
The red flag drama began with just 20 minutes left on the clock. A track marshal reported a possible loose manhole cover before Turn 17, prompting Race Control to investigate. With CCTV unable to confirm the issue, personnel had to physically assess the track, causing a delay. Once the all-clear was given, the session resumed, but with only six minutes left, the red flags flew again, effectively ending the practice.
An FIA statement shed some light: "Race Control personnel remained on-site, and they reported the manhole cover was moving as cars passed over it, leading to the session's end under red-flag conditions. Further inspections are underway."
The inaugural practice session on the Vegas street circuit in 2023 was famously disrupted by a loose drain cover, causing significant damage to Carlos Sainz's Ferrari and delaying the schedule. While there wasn't much running between the red flags this time, Charles Leclerc, who topped Practice One, had to park his Ferrari with a suspected gearbox issue.
Leclerc still managed to finish third on medium tyres, ahead of Nico Hulkenberg and the Racing Bulls duo of Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson. Other notable finishes include George Russell in seventh, Verstappen in ninth, Lewis Hamilton in tenth, and Piastri in fourteenth, all without setting a time on soft tyres.
Norris, the pacesetter, commented, "We have a better feeling in the car than last year. That was evident from lap one. Some good feelings, but not much running at the end, and not many high-fuel runs. Still, the pace is there. It's tight between a lot of people, and many didn't get their laps in."
Practice Two Timesheet:
Driver | Team | Time
Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:33.602
Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.029
Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.161
Nico Hulkenberg | Sauber | +0.277
Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | +0.291
Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +0.299
George Russell | Mercedes | +0.435
Alex Albon | Williams | +0.465
Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.503
Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.525
Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +0.589
Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +0.771
Carlos Sainz | Williams | +0.833
Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.891
Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull | +1.090
Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +1.222
Oliver Bearman | Haas | +1.384
Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +1.410
Esteban Ocon | Haas | +1.626
Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | +1.897
Practice One Recap:
Earlier in the day, Charles Leclerc put on a show for Ferrari, setting the pace in the first practice session. However, it was a challenging start for McLaren, with title leader Norris and his main rival, teammate Piastri, managing only sixth and eighth fastest, respectively.
McLaren's CEO, Zak Brown, warned of a "tricky weekend" on a track where they've yet to achieve a podium finish. Norris had a few off-track moments and brushed the wall during the opening hour, but still managed to be two tenths faster than Piastri when it counted.
Leclerc, who finished on the podium in Vegas last year, was quick on both tyre compounds, setting a best time of 1:34.802. Williams also impressed, with Alex Albon finishing second, just 0.166s behind Leclerc. Sainz was fifth, with the Red Bull duo of Tsunoda and Verstappen sandwiched between them.
The Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar split the McLarens, while last year's winners, Mercedes, could only manage ninth and tenth with Russell and Antonelli. The first session on the Strip Circuit proved tricky for drivers, with a low-grip track surface and chilly conditions causing numerous drivers to run off track, including Hamilton in the second Ferrari.
Practice One Timesheet:
Driver | Team | Time
Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:34.802
Alex Albon | Williams | +0.166
Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull | +0.269
Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.307
Carlos Sainz | Williams | +0.377
Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.456
Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | +0.497
Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.648
George Russell | Mercedes | +0.732
Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.736
Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.759
Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +0.787
Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +0.907
Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +0.944
Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +1.092
Oliver Bearman | Haas | +1.188
Esteban Ocon | Haas | +1.321
Nico Hulkenberg | Sauber | +1.368
Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | +1.596
Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +1.956
Don't miss the action! Here's the Sky Sports F1 schedule for the Las Vegas GP:
Saturday, November 22:
12:15 am: Las Vegas GP Practice Three (starts at 12:30 am)
2:10 am: F1 Academy Race One
3:00 am: Las Vegas GP Qualifying build-up
4:00 am: LAS VEGAS GP QUALIFYING
6:00 am: Ted's Qualifying Notebook
Sunday, November 23:
12:15 am: F1 Academy Race Two
2:30 am: Grand Prix Sunday: Las Vegas GP build-up
4:00 am: THE LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX
6:00 am: Chequered Flag: Las Vegas GP reaction
7:00 am: Ted's Notebook
*Also live on Sky Sports Main Event
Will Norris maintain his momentum, or will the manhole cover controversy change the game? Join the discussion and share your predictions! Formula 1's title race is heating up, and you don't want to miss a moment. Stream Sky Sports with NOW for all the action.
