2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix Day 2
Day 2 of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, and Mercedes was back on top after the dust had settled. Want the deep scoop? We here at Supercars.com.GH are here to take you through everything you need to know about FP3 and the qualifying sessions of the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix.
FP3
Lewis Hamilton reigned at the top of the timing sheets yesterday, but this time, it was George Russell who took the top spot in FP3 of the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver showcased impressive pace, clocking a best time of 1:33.570s, edging out McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.
The session was marked by mixed conditions, with low grip levels and cool temperatures similar to yesterday. Drivers struggled to find optimal setups, with Sergio Perez even describing his initial run as “miles off.” Despite these challenges, McLaren’s Lando Norris and Piastri quickly set the pace with their runs on the soft compound tires.
However, as the session progressed, Kevin Magnussen unexpectedly took the lead with a strong lap on the soft tires, but his time was soon eclipsed by Charles Leclerc and Nico Hulkenberg, but Mercedes soon asserted their dominance. Russell and Lewis Hamilton both set competitive lap times, challenging Verstappen’s early lead.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen encountered difficulties throughout the session once again, reporting handling issues. After a pit stop and a tire change, he managed to improve his lap time, but the session was ultimately cut short due to Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin grinding to a halt due to a technical issue and bringing out the red flag.
- George Russell Mercedes 1:33.570
- Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:33.785
- Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:33.918
Qualifying
George Russell repeated his FP3 heroics in the qualifying session, as he stormed to pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, edging out Ferrari rival Carlos Sainz and the high-flying Alpine of Pierre Gasly. Having topped final practice and led the way after the first Q3 runs, Russell posted a time of 1m 32.312s on his final lap to secure the top spot and end a run of Ferrari and McLaren poles stretching back to his P1 performance at Silverstone in July.
Sainz was a tenth of a second back, while Pierre Gasly and Alpine built on their sensational double podium finish at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix last time out to deliver another eye-catching result in third place. Charles Leclerc had to settle for fourth in his Ferrari, with championship rivals Max Verstappen and Lando Norris set to share the third row of the grid for Red Bull and McLaren in P5 and P6 respectively.
The qualifying session was a rollercoaster of emotions, with several standout moments and unexpected twists. One of the most significant events was the dramatic crash of Franco Colapinto towards the end of Q2, as the Williams driver lost control of his car, hitting the wall and causing significant damage. This also brought out a red flag, interrupting the qualifying session.
- George Russell Mercedes 1:32.312
- Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:32.410
- Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:32.664
Will Max Verstappen walk away with a fourth-world title despite starting P5? Or, will Lando Norris keep his championship dreams alive? Tune in tomorrow for our 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix review and find out for yourself!