Leclerc Dominates Opening Practice in Las Vegas, Albon and Tsunoda Impress

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc set the pace in the first practice session for the 2025 FIA Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, with Williams' Alex Albon and Red Bull Racing's Yuki Tsunoda surprisingly close behind. Championship leader Lando Norris finished sixth, while title rival and McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri placed eighth.

Why it matters:

• The initial practice session in Las Vegas often provides an early glimpse into team performance and driver adaptation to a unique street circuit.
• Leclerc's strong showing signals Ferrari's potential competitiveness, while the impressive pace of Albon and Tsunoda suggests a tighter midfield battle than anticipated.
• This session is crucial for teams to gather data on tire degradation, track evolution, and car setup, especially on a 'green' and dusty track like the Las Vegas Strip.

The details:

• The session began on a 'green' and extremely slippery track, with Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) posting the first conservative lap time.
• Early Pace Setters: The top spot frequently changed hands, with Carlos Sainz (Williams), Pierre Gasly (Alpine), and Hadjar all briefly leading as grip improved.
• Mid-Session Movers: Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber) briefly set the fastest time on Hard tires, followed by Yuki Tsunoda and Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) who quickly lowered the benchmark.
• Norris Incident: Championship leader Lando Norris (McLaren) lightly clipped a barrier with his right rear wheel but was able to continue without significant damage.
• Soft Tire Runs: As teams switched to Soft tires, Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) initially jumped to P1, only to be quickly overtaken by Leclerc, who then further improved his time.
• Final Minutes Drama: Verstappen briefly reclaimed P1 on Softs, followed by Tsunoda, before Leclerc ultimately secured the top spot with a 1:34.802.
• Surprise Performances: Alex Albon delivered a strong late lap to take second, just 0.166 seconds behind Leclerc, with Tsunoda holding onto third.

By the numbers:

1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari): 1:34.802
2. Alexander Albon (Williams/Mercedes): 1:34.968 (+0.166s)
3. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull/Honda RBPT): 1:35.071 (+0.269s)
4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull/Honda RBPT): 1:35.109 (+0.307s)
5. Carlos Sainz (Williams/Mercedes): 1:35.179 (+0.377s)
6. Lando Norris (McLaren/Mercedes): 1:35.258 (+0.456s)
7. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT): 1:35.299 (+0.497s)
8. Oscar Piastri (McLaren/Mercedes): 1:35.450 (+0.648s)
9. George Russell (Mercedes): 1:35.534 (+0.732s)
10. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes): 1:35.538 (+0.736s)

What's next:

Teams will now analyze the vast amount of data gathered from this session to refine their car setups for the unique Las Vegas street circuit. Expect further track evolution and potentially even faster lap times as more rubber is laid down. The focus will shift to maximizing qualifying pace and understanding long-run tire performance in the upcoming sessions, which will be crucial for race strategy.