2 weeks Ago By Elizabeth Blackstock
The 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend has kicked off with cool temperatures and bright lights — and Mercedes is looking good. Has the Brackley-based team found something special at the brisk Las Vegas Grand Prix? Its dominance in FP1 certainly suggests that could be the case, though there’s still a long way to go before the checkered flag flies on Saturday. After the drain cover-shortened FP1 of 2023, the first practice in the Las Vegas went off without a hitch — at least, as far as logistics were concerned.
The Red Bull teammates of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez kicked off the session on soft tires, compared to the mediums of the rest of the grid, but both had a challenging time getting the rubber up to temperature — resulting in some lockups and challenges up and down the grid. 👉 Lando Norris’ remarkable skip ahead to ‘acceptance’ stage of grief after Brazil GP defeat 👉 Explained: What does Max Verstappen need to become F1 2024 champion in Las Vegas? Franco Colapinto in particular had a few close calls, cruising through the runoff and nearly clipping the wall as he fought for grip, while Esteban Ocon was forced to brake hard to avoid contact with other drivers. A session that kicked off with Mercedes in the lead soon gave way to a Ferrari 1-2 before McLaren’s Lando Norris snuck into the lead.
Keeping things interesting in the top 10 were appearances by Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, coming off his stunning Brazil podium, and Haas’ Kevin Magnussen. As the session closed, Mercedes regained its place at the top of the charts, and the standings took on a more conventional shape. Problems rose for Max Verstappen; the 2024 championship leader raised concerns about his steering wheel, which “randomly” disconnected as he was working in his Red Bull.
Read next: Lando Norris’ brutally honest ‘wasn’t outright ready’ admission over Max Verstappen title fight.
