Russell Dominates Final Las Vegas Practice with Fastest Time

In the final practice session for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, George Russell showcased his speed by clocking the fastest time. The Mercedes driver set a remarkable lap of 1m 34.054s, dominating a session that presented challenging conditions for all teams.

Key Events from Final Practice

The session took place under tricky circumstances following a damp track from previous rainfall. With the start of practice, Oscar Piastri was the first driver to venture out on intermediate tyres. The early part of the session saw gradual improvement as drivers adjusted to the low grip conditions.

Early Leaders

• 15 minutes in, Piastri briefly held the top position before being overtaken by Lando Norris, who posted a time of 1m 43.078s.
• Carlos Sainz indicated over the radio that conditions were nearing a switch to slick tyres, but drivers were cautious.

As practice continued, Yuki Tsunoda faced issues with his car, which affected his performance. Halfway through the session, rain was forecasted, prompting drivers to strategize their approaches.

A Gamble on Tyres

Norris took a risk by fitting soft tyres on the still-drying track, despite engineers expressing caution about the suitability of the rubber. Shortly after, Lewis Hamilton climbed the leaderboard with a time of 1m 42.809s, narrowly avoiding a collision with Liam Lawson’s car.

With 20 minutes left, several drivers had yet to complete a timed lap. The final moments saw significant activity as everyone switched to soft tyres.

Final Standings

In a thrilling conclusion, Max Verstappen initially led with a time of 1m 35.646s before Russell surged ahead. The final standings were closely contested:

The session concluded with the McLaren drivers finishing at the bottom of the timesheets, facing technical difficulties. Attention now turns to the all-important Qualifying session, scheduled to commence at 2000 local time.