FP1 Highlights | 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix

Neon and dust, casinos and fast cars. It must be the Las Vegas Grand Prix. First practice ahead of the 2024 edition. And there was a silver sheen to the top of the timing tables with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton trading fastest laps on the soft tyres. It was the seven-time world champion with the Mercedes bragging rights at the flag, clocking a last gasp luck time at 1 minute 35.001. Cold temperatures and a track severely lacking in rubber meant that grip was an issue early doors. Feels like I'm driving in the wet, honestly. Turn seven proved particularly problematic. Oscar Piastri sliding wide there before the two Ferraris went slithering through the same corner. The long straight along the famous Las Vegas Strip ends with a very tight turn which caught out a few, including all the current and former world champions on the grid. Fernando Alonso went deep there and Lewis Hamilton had a lock-up as he slammed on the brakes to make the corner. The two remaining 2024 Driver Championship contenders also found the same turn tricky. Max Verstappen with a huge lock-up and Lando Norris going into the run-off, as did Joe Guagnino. The current Kicksalber drivers received some disappointing news during the break. Neither Joe nor Valtteri Bottas have been offered a contract by the team in green for 2025. F2 Championship leader Gabriel Bortoletto will partner Nico Hülkenberg at the Swiss outfit next season. The pit lane entrance caused some confusion. Franco Colopinto with a late move across the dusty track and George Russell with a lock-up as he navigated the bends. The pit entry line is almost impossible to see. Colopinto had a scary moment at Turn 12, the Williams driver drifting and swinging the rear at the exit. Esteban Ocon had to have his wits about him there too as he came very close to the back of Lance Stroll's Aston Martin. So a Mercedes won too. Hamilton from Russell, then came Norris, Leclerc for Verstappen, Sainz, Alonso, Piastri, Gasly and Perez. P11 for Kevin Magnussen. He was ahead of Stroll, Albon, Ocon, Hülkenberg, Bottas, Colopinto, Joe, Sennaud and Lawson.