The track conditions at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, combined with multiple interruptions, have left several doubts about the true competitive order among the leading teams. Lando Norris ended up fastest in Free Practice 2, but Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull all appear strong enough to fight at the front. And with a potential chance of rain, the competitive picture could become even more unpredictable.
The first day of running at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit did not deliver all the answers teams were hoping for. Shortly after the midpoint of FP2, a marshal reported a suspected loose drain cover located just before Turn 17. Race control stopped the session with a red flag, and when running resumed with only four minutes remaining, it lasted just a few seconds before a second and final interruption. FIA personnel, who had inspected the area after the first red flag, confirmed that the drain cover was not securely fitted, leading to the decision to end FP2 a few minutes early.
Teams were forced to abandon long runs, and even the qualifying simulations were completed by only a small number of drivers. The opening ten minutes of FP2 were also influenced by light rain that had fallen shortly before the start, leaving very little time to gather useful data. Unexpectedly, the fastest driver of the day turned out to be Lando Norris. Calling it a ‘surprise’ may seem unusual for the championship leader, but after FP1 the McLaren had looked to be struggling. On high-fuel runs, both cars had shown a clear graining issue, and even during the single-lap attempts, visits to the run-off areas were frequent.
Before FP2, the team decided to intervene on the mechanical setup and also fitted the higher-downforce rear wing specification. “We know there is still work to do to optimize the car’s setup,” explained Andrea Stella. “The characteristics of this circuit and the conditions in which we’re running are not ideal for us, but we will do our best to put the drivers in the best possible position.” The inability to complete race-run simulations left open the question mark regarding tire management, but on single-lap pace the signs were encouraging. “The feeling was better than in FP1,” Norris confirmed. “We made some good progress and overall we have a reasonable feeling.”
The challenge for the engineers now will be to find the perfect balance between setup choices and the evolving grip levels of the track, a particularly significant variable in Las Vegas. Mercedes focused heavily on this aspect, dedicating a large part of FP1 to race simulations. During the evening session, Kimi Antonelli secured the second-fastest time, taking advantage of the soft tires before the red flag appeared. For Kimi, it was a positive day—his first experience at the Las Vegas circuit—continuing the strong form seen in recent race weekends. “I learned the track,” he said, “but what surprised me the most was how much it evolved. In FP2 the grip was much higher than in the afternoon session. I think it will be the same tomorrow, so we need to finalize the setup with that in mind, thinking about what the conditions will be at the moment that really counts, which is qualifying.”
The challenge for the engineers will be to achieve the perfect match between setup and track evolution, a factor that is especially influential at Las Vegas. Mercedes placed strong emphasis on this point, allocating a significant part of FP1 to long-run simulations. In the evening session, Kimi Antonelli took advantage of the soft tires before the red flag to set the second-fastest time. For the young Italian, it was another solid day—his first at this unique venue—consistent with the performance levels shown in recent weekends. “I learned the track,” he said, “but the thing that surprised me the most was how much it evolved. In FP2 the grip was much higher than in the daytime session. I believe it will be the same tomorrow, so we need to settle on a setup with that in mind, thinking about what the conditions will be when it really matters, meaning qualifying.”
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