George Russell set the pace in the final practice session for the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix, with Mercedes maintaining their impressive form ahead of qualifying.
After Lewis Hamilton dominated both practice sessions on Friday, Mercedes continued to shine. Russell and Hamilton occupied the top spots for much of the session before Russell secured the fastest lap in a late flurry of action, which was prematurely halted by a red flag.
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McLaren’s Oscar Piastri took second place, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz splitting the McLaren duo by finishing third, ahead of Lando Norris in fourth.
Max Verstappen, who faced challenges earlier in the session, showed improved speed late on to secure fifth, bolstering his chances of clinching the world championship this weekend. Verstappen can claim his fourth consecutive drivers’ title with two races remaining by finishing ahead of Norris, or by ensuring he does not lose more than three points to the McLaren driver.
Hamilton ended the session in sixth place after failing to put together a clean lap on fresh soft tires, despite showing a closely matched pace to Russell throughout the session.
The event’s unique setup, with Las Vegas’ iconic Strip closed off in the evenings for Formula 1, presents unusual challenges. The circuit is far dirtier than usual for F1 standards, worsened by the absence of support races that typically help lay down rubber and improve track conditions. As a result, the surface evolves rapidly during each session.
This dynamic was on display again late in the session when Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll suffered a technical failure, bringing his car to a stop on the track with six minutes remaining. A red flag was issued to clear the car, leaving just enough time for drivers to return to the pit lane and conduct practice starts in the final moments.
Las Vegas GP FP3 Results
2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix FP3, 22 November 2024
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