F1 LIVE: Las Vegas Grand Prix FP2 Updates Under the Lights

The Las Vegas Grand Prix moves into its second practice session, with drivers taking to the track under the floodlights in conditions expected to mirror race day. This crucial session will see teams focus on vital setup work, running both qualifying and race simulations to gauge their early weekend pace and identify necessary adjustments.

Why it matters:

• Race Simulation: FP2 is particularly significant as it's held at the same time as Saturday night's race, providing the most representative conditions for race strategy and tire management. Understanding tire degradation and performance in the cool Las Vegas night air will be key.
• Setup Optimization: With only a limited number of practice sessions, FP2 offers the best opportunity for teams to fine-tune their car setups for the unique demands of the street circuit, which features long straights and tight corners.
• Driver Adaptation: Drivers will continue to adapt to the challenging new circuit, particularly its low-grip surface and the high-speed sections. Every lap counts in building confidence and finding the limits.

The details:

• Conditions: The session will run under floodlights, with ambient temperatures expected to be cool, similar to the main event. This will impact tire warm-up and performance.
• Focus: Teams are expected to prioritize long runs to assess tire wear over a race distance, along with shorter, high-fuel runs to simulate qualifying pace. Data gathered here will be critical for strategy calls later in the weekend.
• Early Indications: The performance gaps between teams will start to become clearer as more representative data is collected, giving an initial glimpse into who has 'hit the ground running' on the new circuit.
• Track Evolution: With the track being new and likely to 'rubber in' over the weekend, teams will be monitoring how grip levels change and adjusting their approaches accordingly. This evolution could be significant between FP1 and FP2, and then into qualifying and the race.

What's next:

Following FP2, teams will analyze the vast amount of data collected to make significant setup changes ahead of FP3 and qualifying. The insights from these night runs will directly influence car configurations and race strategies. Drivers will also use this feedback to refine their lines and techniques, aiming to extract every millisecond on a circuit that is still very much an unknown quantity.