Ferrari's Leclerc Sets Early Pace in Las Vegas
Charles Leclerc delivered an impressive performance for Ferrari during the opening practice session for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, finishing fastest around the challenging street circuit. The Monegasque driver's pace-setting time established Ferrari as an early contender on the famous Las Vegas Strip.
Practice Session Standings and Championship Implications
Leclerc's benchmark time saw him finish 0.166 seconds clear of Williams driver Alex Albon, who secured an unexpected second position. Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda completed the top three, demonstrating the competitive mix at the front of the field.
The championship battle took an interesting turn during this initial running. Current championship leader Lando Norris could only manage sixth position for McLaren, while his teammate and closest rival Oscar Piastri finished eighth. Norris maintains a 24-point advantage over Piastri heading into the final three rounds of the season.
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen finished fourth in the second Red Bull, approximately three tenths behind Leclerc's leading time. The Dutch driver remains mathematically in contention for the title, though he trails Norris by 49 points with only 83 points remaining available across the concluding races in Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi.
Session Drama and Looking Ahead
The one-hour practice session revealed early challenges for the McLaren team, which has dominated much of the season. Norris experienced particular difficulty at Turn 12, running wide on two separate flying laps. The British driver ultimately finished 0.456 seconds adrift of Leclerc's pace, while Piastri was even further back at 0.648 seconds.
Elsewhere in the field, Carlos Sainz finished fifth for Williams, with Isack Hadjar taking seventh position in his RB. Last year's Las Vegas Grand Prix winner, George Russell, could only manage ninth place, while Lewis Hamilton finished outside the top ten in eleventh position.
The second practice session is scheduled for 20:00 local time (04:00 GMT), providing teams with another opportunity to refine their setups ahead of Saturday's qualifying session and the main event on the spectacular Las Vegas street circuit.
