This session has finished. No further updates will be posted.
Second practice for the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix is coming up next
Mercedes led the way in the opening practice session earlier in the evening, Lewis Hamilton setting a best of 1’35.001. The track was very dusty, however, and Mercedes have tended to go well when grip is poor. “I think we are ‘dirty track champions’,” remarked team principal Toto Wolff afterwards.
The second practice session has begun and the Alpine drivers in their special pink liveried cars – which is slightly less black than the version they ran earlier this year – head out first.
“This helmet has max venting so I have a lot of cold air blowing onto my face,” remarks George Russell. Sergio Perez reporting the same problem.
Joseph to Lando Norris: “Opportunity: Late entry speed into turn seven.”
Mercedes return to the top of the times, Hamilton on a one 1’35.805, but Nico Hulkenberg now separates him from his team mate.
Charles Leclerc, who just got crossed up at the first corner, goes fastest of all in the first two sectors, but loses time at the end of the lap and is only fourth.
Fernando Alonso: “I think you need to change the set-up. More bouncing.”
Verstappen has gone down the escape road at turn 14 and emerged again. He’s ninth at the moment, Russell fastest on a 1’34.605. Hamilton becomes the latest driver to explore the turn one run-off.
Russell: “Can we get a bit of tape to put over my helmet vent?”
Leclerc brings the headline time down to a 1’34.476. Like most drivers he’s running the medium, though Franco Colapinto is now first onto the softs, followed by Lance Stroll.
Carlos Sainz Jnr, almost three tenths of a second behind his team mate, reflects: “I just didn’t put it all together.”
No laps for Alexander Albon at the moment as he’s stuck in the Williams garage with a fuel system problem, according to the team.
The Mercedes drivers opt for the softs now, Russell goes quickest with a 1’34.015, two-tenths up on Hamilton.
Lando Norris shows what McLaren can do with a 1’33.836, second-placed Russell responds with a fastest first sector time but has to back off at the end of the lap. McLaren experimenting with a second push lap for Norris.
More trouble for Albon – he’s stopped on the track and the red flag appears as his Williams is pushed away.
Seven minutes left in second practice, the drivers mainly working on their race simulations so little in the way of improvements at the moment.
The chequered flag falls and Hamilton is fastest for the second time today. Full report coming up shortly.
That concludes our live coverage of this session – you can read the report here.
2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix
- Vowles clarifies Colapinto’s claim he was concussed in Las Vegas crash
- Norris lost title because McLaren weren’t competitive enough early on – Stella
- Ferrari are now in their longest-ever championship drought
- F1 “was trying too hard” in first year at Las Vegas – Sainz
- 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend F1 driver ratings
