Verstappen suffers Las Vegas Grand Prix NIGHTMARE

F1 Results Today: Verstappen suffers Las Vegas Grand Prix NIGHTMARE as Hamilton dominates

Max Verstappen’s nightmare continues in the Las Vegas Grand Prix, as Lewis Hamilton claims a dominant performance in FP2

The Las Vegas Grand Prix is proving to be a challenging weekend for Max Verstappen, who is struggling to match the pace of his rivals in the chilly evening conditions during FP2.

Lewis Hamilton, on the other hand, showcased his impressive form yet again, posting the fastest time of the session and cementing his place as the class of the field.

With his strong showing in FP2, Hamilton continues to build on his earlier success in FP1, where he had already set the fastest time, leading a Mercedes 1-2 finish.

Hamilton’s excellent pace in both practice sessions is a positive sign for Mercedes, which has been steadily improving in recent races.

In FP2, Hamilton clocked a lap time of 1:33.825 seconds, setting the fastest time by a narrow margin.

Lando Norris, representing McLaren, came within just 0.011 seconds of Hamilton’s time, securing the second-fastest lap.

George Russell, Hamilton’s teammate at Mercedes, also impressed, securing third place with a time 0.190 seconds slower than the leader.

For Red Bull, however, the situation was far from ideal.

Verstappen, who has already secured two world championships and leads the 2024 drivers’ standings, was unable to find his rhythm on the Las Vegas circuit.

He finished the session in 17th place, more than two seconds off Hamilton’s pace.

Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez fared even worse, ending up in 19th place, further confirming that the team struggled to adapt to the unique challenges presented by the Vegas track.

This disappointing performance comes at a critical time for Verstappen and Red Bull, who are looking to secure both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships in 2024.

Verstappen is on the verge of clinching his third consecutive world title, but the Las Vegas Grand Prix could prove pivotal in his bid for the championship.

Similarly, Red Bull is facing stiff competition for the constructors’ title, with Ferrari and McLaren hot on their heels.

McLaren has been one of the standout teams of the 2024 season, and their strong showing in FP2 further solidified their status as one of the top teams on the grid.

Norris and Oscar Piastri both demonstrated their speed on the Las Vegas circuit, with Norris finishing second and Piastri taking eighth place.

Their performance highlights McLaren’s growing competitiveness as they push for a higher position in the constructors’ standings.

Ferrari also had a solid session, with Carlos Sainz finishing in fourth place, just 0.280 seconds off Hamilton’s pace, and Charles Leclerc securing fifth, 0.488 seconds behind the leader.

Both Ferrari drivers appeared to have a good balance between speed and consistency, making them strong contenders for the race weekend.

The team’s performance is crucial for their efforts to challenge Red Bull for the constructors’ title, with the Italian team hoping to take advantage of any weaknesses shown by their rivals.

In contrast, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly had an impressive run, finishing in sixth place, 0.826 seconds behind Hamilton.

Gasly’s performance highlights Alpine’s continued progress throughout the season, with the French team showing signs of closing the gap to the top teams.

Kevin Magnussen of Haas also put in a solid performance, ending the session in seventh place, while McLaren’s Piastri rounded off the top eight.

The midfield battle remains as tight as ever, with teams like Haas, Alpine, and others eager to capitalize on any potential slip-ups from the top runners.

The session also saw notable performances from other drivers, with Nico Hulkenberg and Yuki Tsunoda rounding off the top ten.

Despite the tough competition, these drivers are maintaining consistent form and will look to build on their strong practice runs in the upcoming sessions.

Meanwhile, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll finished 14th and 13th, respectively, with Alonso expressing some frustration about his car’s setup.

Aston Martin, which had been a contender for podiums earlier in the season, has been struggling in recent races, and the Las Vegas Grand Prix presents another challenge for the team.

The team’s performance will need to improve if they want to make an impact in the upcoming race.

While the evening session was dominated by the top drivers from Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari, the struggles of Verstappen and Perez are drawing attention.

The Red Bull duo, so dominant in the 2024 season, had a session to forget, as they were unable to extract the performance they would have hoped for.

Verstappen, who is on the brink of securing his third world championship, has been largely untouchable throughout the year.

However, his performance in Las Vegas raised questions about Red Bull’s ability to maintain their dominance on a new circuit, with the team now under pressure to improve ahead of the race weekend.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix is crucial for the battle for both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles.

Verstappen’s struggles could provide an opening for rivals like Hamilton, who is in the form of his life and aiming to close the gap in the standings.

Ferrari and McLaren, who are looking to challenge Red Bull for the constructors’ crown, will also be hoping that Red Bull’s difficulties continue.

As for the drivers’ championship, Verstappen remains the leader, and he is currently in a strong position to clinch the title.

However, with Hamilton showing such strong form and other teams like McLaren and Ferrari closing in on Red Bull, the final stages of the season promise to be thrilling.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix will be a key moment in this title battle, and both the drivers and teams will be looking to put their best foot forward in what promises to be a dramatic weekend of racing.

In summary, FP2 of the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix was a session filled with contrasting fortunes.

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes dominated, with Hamilton posting the fastest time of the session, followed closely by McLaren’s Norris and Mercedes’ Russell.

Meanwhile, Verstappen and Perez were nowhere near their usual pace, leaving Red Bull with much to work on heading into the rest of the weekend.

As the fight for both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles heats up, the Las Vegas Grand Prix will play a pivotal role in determining the outcome of the season.