Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc topped the times in a lively opening practice for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, posting a 1m34.802s on soft tyres in the final quarter-hour of the one-hour session.
His late push dipped under last year’s FP1 best and kept him narrowly clear of Williams’ Alex Albon, whose impressive effort left him just 0.166s adrift.
In a rare twist, Yuki Tsunoda outpaced Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen, taking third ahead of the world champion.
Verstappen had led the early phases on mediums, but the evolving track and shift to softer compounds later reshuffled the order.
The session began cautiously as drivers acclimatised to the 6.2km Strip Circuit, used only once a year and notoriously low on grip—made more unpredictable this year by low downforce packages. Several suffered excursions, including Pierre Gasly and Gabriel Bortoleto, as the field searched for stability under cooling desert skies shortly after sunset.
Midway through, Ferrari momentarily held a 1–2 when Lewis Hamilton and then Leclerc jumped to the top on the C5 compound, before Verstappen briefly restored order with a 1m35.109s. Leclerc’s final counter, however, settled the matter and kept the red cars at the sharp end.
Williams enjoyed one of its strongest FP1 showings of the season, with Carlos Sainz securing fifth behind the Red Bulls.
McLaren’s session was less convincing: Lando Norris recovered from a pair of off-track moments at Turn 12 to take sixth, followed by Isack Hadjar and title rival Oscar Piastri. The team’s muted pace aligned with expectations that the circuit’s characteristics may expose its weaknesses.
Behind Piastri, Mercedes pair George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli claimed ninth and tenth. Hamilton was pushed outside the top 10 as the team refrained from showing its full potential on a layout that should, in theory, complement its package.
The opening hour left Leclerc in control, Williams buoyant, and the field bracing for a circuit that remains tricky, unforgiving, and bound to evolve as the Las Vegas night deepens.
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