McLaren's Lando Norris emerged fastest in a heavily disrupted second practice session for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, an event marred by two red flags caused by a loose manhole cover on the iconic Strip.
Session Disruption and Safety Concerns
The one-hour practice session on Thursday night was thrown into chaos not once, but twice, as race control was forced to suspend running due to a dislodged drain cover at the final corner. The first red flag was shown at 8.38pm local time as a precautionary measure after marshals reported a potential issue.
The FIA, Formula 1's governing body, stated that initial CCTV checks were inconclusive, prompting personnel to inspect the site directly. Following a 16-minute delay, the session resumed for a mere six minutes. However, it was quickly halted again when officials remaining on-site observed the manhole cover moving dangerously as cars passed over it at high speed.
The incident evoked unwelcome memories of the inaugural Las Vegas event in 2023, when a similar failure severely damaged the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz at 200mph.
Norris Leads the Pack in Shortened Running
Despite the limited track time, Lando Norris managed to set the benchmark time, edging out Mercedes' rising star Kimi Antonelli by a razor-thin margin of 0.029 seconds. This strong performance will be a boost for the British driver, who holds a 24-point championship lead with just three rounds remaining in the season.
The session's interruptions led to a distorted timesheet, with many drivers unable to complete representative laps on the softest tyre compound. Norris's main title rival, Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who trails by 49 points, could only manage ninth place. Meanwhile, Norris's McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, finished down in 14th position.
Championship Implications on the Strip
As the 2025 season reaches its climax, the Las Vegas Grand Prix presents a critical challenge. The street circuit has not traditionally favoured the McLaren package in its two previous outings. Norris himself experienced difficulties in the first practice session, running wide twice and finishing sixth.
His subsequent pace in the second, albeit interrupted, session suggests a positive turnaround. With the final races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi looming, Norris's performance in Vegas could prove pivotal in his quest for a maiden world championship.
The event, uniquely promoted by F1's owners Liberty Media, now faces renewed scrutiny over track infrastructure, with further inspections underway to ensure safety for the remainder of the weekend.
