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LAS VEGAS, UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 21: Sir Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15 during practice at the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas at Las Vegas Strip Circuit on November 21, 2024 in Las Vegas, United States. Las Vegas Grand Prix

Las Vegas Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 2 Results

Who will find the right set-up in the cold and slippery track conditions in Las Vegas?

Lewis Hamilton was quickest again ahead of Lando Norris and George Russell in FP2 at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Las Vegas Grand Prix, F1
Drivers head out on track for the second practice session (Image Credit: @F1 on X)

FP1 saw drivers get used to the cold track conditions in Las Vegas. Many were not happy with the level of grip – RB driver Liam Lawson described it as feeling like he was “driving in the wet”.

The first practice session ended with Lewis Hamilton topping the session ahead of George Russell for a Mercedes 1-2. The Silver Arrows spent the majority of the session at the top of the timesheet.

McLaren driver Lando Norris ended the session in third ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Red Bull driver Max Verstappen didn’t have the easiest of sessions, finishing fifth-quickest. The Dutchman, along with many drivers, struggled with locking up their front tyres due to the cold track temperature.

Light goes green

Alpine driver Pierre Gasly was the first driver to exit the pitlane – followed by his teammate Esteban Ocon. The Alpine duo will be looking to keep the momentum going after a double podium finish in Sao Paulo.

Gasly set the first lap time of the session, setting a 1:46.195 on the medium tyre – with Ocon 0.006 seconds behind. Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas went over six seconds quicker, setting a 1:39.493 on the medium compound. Haas’ Kevin Magnussen the instantly beat the Finn’s time with a 1:37.711 on the same compound.

Ocon’s second lap was good enough to rise to the top, going two tenths quicker than Magnussen’s time. However, Russell instantly went over a second quicker, setting a 1:36.482 on the medium compound.

Hamilton continued his great form in FP1 to smash his teammate’s time, once again. The seven-time world champion went just under six tenths clear of his teammate, setting a 1:35.805.

Meanwhile, Verstappen was still not comfortable with the grip levels – the Dutchman reported: “Ah, just no grip.” The Dutchman and Leclerc both had snaps, struggling for grip.

Ten minutes in, Norris went quickest, setting a 1:35.406 on the medium compound – quickest in the middle sector. However, the McLaren driver was instantly beaten by Russell, setting a 1:34.979 on the same compound.

Struggling for grip still

Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg locked his inside front and went deep into Turn One. Hamilton did the same as the German with the lack of grip on the medium tyre.

Meanwhile, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso suggested to his team to change the set-up. The Spaniard reported “too much bouncing”, which left him in a lot of pain post-race in Sao Paulo.

Russell bettered his lap time, setting a 1:34.657 on the medium compound still. Elsewhere, Verstappen was still struggling, going deep at Turn 14, locking his front tyre again. Leclerc then went quickest 20 minutes in the session, setting a 1:34.476.

Soft tyre runs

Williams driver Franco Colapinto was the first driver to go out on-track with the soft compound tyre. The Argentine only managed to set a lap good enough for 11th. Meanwhile, his teammate Alex Albon was stuck in the garage with mechanics all around the Thai driver’s FW46.

Russell put his soft tyres to good use, going well clear at the top. The Mercedes driver set a 1:34.015 – four-and-a-half tenths quicker than Leclerc.

Hamilton’s soft run was good enough for second – just over two tenths adrift of his teammate’s time at the top. Sainz took second off the seven-time world champion – 0.90 seconds slower than Russell.

With 25 minutes to go, Norris set the quickest time of the session, setting a 1:33.836 on his soft tyre run. Hamilton pipped Norris’ time by 0.011 seconds to go first.

Alex Albon, Las Vegas Grand Prix
Albon didn’t manage to set a representative lap time this session (Image Credit: @F1 on X)
Red Flag

Albon brought out the red flag with just over a third of the session to go. The Thai driver stopped on-track at the pitlane exit with a fuel system issue, adding woes to the Grove team’s mechanics.

The green flag was back with just under a third of the session to go. Many drivers opted to go for their long run plans for the final 15 minutes of the session.

Hamilton ended the session quickest again, setting a lap quicker than his qualifyin time last year. The seven-time world champion topped the timesheet ahead of Norris and his teammate Russell. Both Ferrari drivers Sainz and Leclerc rounded out the top five.

Towards the bottom of the order was Red Bull. Verstappen ended the session in 17th and Perez ended in 19th – the Austrian team still struggling.

Results
  1. Lewis Hamilton
  2. Lando Norris
  3. George Russell
  4. Carlos Sainz
  5. Charles Leclerc
  6. Pierre Gasly
  7. Kevin Magnussen
  8. Oscar Piastri
  9. Nico Hulkenberg
  10. Yuki Tsunoda
  11. Valtteri Bottas
  12. Esteban Ocon
  13. Lance Stroll
  14. Fernando Alonso
  15. Liam Lawson
  16. Zhou Guanyu
  17. Max Verstappen
  18. Franco Colapinto
  19. Sergio Perez
  20. Alex Albon

Feature Image Credit: Simon Galloway via LAT Images

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