F1 VEGAS RESULTS: Hamilton Tops BACK-TO-BACK Sessions as Mercedes SHINES in P….Read More
“Hamilton Tops Back-to-Back Sessions as Mercedes Shines in Las Vegas”
Lewis Hamilton continued his strong start to the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend, securing the fastest time in back-to-back practice sessions, further asserting Mercedes’ dominance on the unique street circuit. The second free practice (FP2) session on Friday morning showcased yet another stellar performance from Hamilton, who outpaced his rivals and solidified his position as the driver to beat in Sin City.
The Las Vegas track, designed to run through the famous Strip, posed new challenges for drivers with its low grip and dusty surface, especially under the bright lights of the night sessions. Despite these difficulties, Hamilton managed to extract the most from his Mercedes W14, finishing ahead of both his teammate, George Russell, and McLaren’s Lando Norris.
In FP2, Hamilton set the pace with a time of 1:33.079, further lowering his benchmark from the earlier FP1 session. While he was dominant, the gap between him and the competition tightened. Lando Norris, driving for McLaren, managed to stay within striking distance of Hamilton, finishing just 0.065 seconds behind. This marked a significant improvement for Norris, who had shown promise throughout the season and now looked like a legitimate challenger for victory in Las Vegas.
Russell, meanwhile, completed the top three, just 0.137 seconds adrift of his teammate, continuing Mercedes’ impressive form. The two Mercedes drivers have often struggled for consistent pace against the might of Red Bull throughout the 2024 season, but in Las Vegas, they appeared to have the upper hand, at least for the time being.
One of the most surprising aspects of FP2 was how close the top three drivers were, with barely a tenth of a second separating them. The tight margins between Hamilton and Norris set up an intriguing battle for the rest of the weekend, as both drivers seek to secure crucial points in the constructors’ and drivers’ championships.
Max Verstappen, the reigning world champion, continued to underwhelm during practice. The Dutchman could only manage fourth place in FP2, finishing 0.230 seconds behind Hamilton. While Verstappen has already secured the 2024 drivers’ title, his Red Bull team still faces fierce competition in the constructors’ championship, with McLaren and Ferrari snapping at their heels.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished fifth and sixth, respectively, as they look to close the gap to McLaren and Red Bull in the fight for second place in the constructors’ standings. Leclerc’s pace, just under three-tenths of a second behind Hamilton, indicated that Ferrari might have more to offer in qualifying and the race, though they’ll need to improve further to catch Mercedes.
Further down the field, Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin showed respectable pace, finishing seventh, while Oscar Piastri continued his strong rookie campaign, placing eighth in the second McLaren. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was ninth, ahead of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, who once again struggled to match the performance of his teammate Verstappen.
Williams driver Alex Albon finished in 13th, showing glimpses of potential despite being over a second behind the front runners. Franco Colapinto, making an appearance in the second Williams car, placed 17th, while his teammate Albon continues to fight for every point available this season.
With FP2 wrapped up, all eyes now turn to Saturday’s qualifying session, where teams will look to refine their setups and prepare for the all-important race on Sunday. Hamilton, having topped both practice sessions, appears to be in prime position to fight for victory. However, the narrow gaps between him, Norris, and Russell suggest that the Las Vegas Grand Prix could produce one of the most thrilling races of the season.
As the weekend progresses, drivers will continue to get to grips with the challenging track conditions, and strategy will play a key role in determining the outcome of the race. Mercedes has shown they are more than ready to fight at the front, but with McLaren and Ferrari not far behind, the battle for victory is far from decided.
F1 FP2 Classification:
1. Lewis Hamilton [Mercedes] – 1:33.079
2. Lando Norris [McLaren] – +0.065
3. George Russell [Mercedes] – +0.137
4. Max Verstappen [Red Bull] – +0.230
5. Charles Leclerc [Ferrari] – +0.278
6. Carlos Sainz [Ferrari] – +0.334
7. Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin] – +0.409
8. Oscar Piastri [McLaren] – +0.494
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