F1: Norris fastest in FP2 as Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend picks up pace

Lando Norris topped the timesheets in Free Practice 2 at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, ending the session as the quickest driver of the day. Norris, who currently leads the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship for McLaren, set the best time of 1:33.602 in a session that was interrupted twice and affected by light rain.

Right behind him was Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes’ talented teenager racing his first full season in F1. Ferrari star Charles Leclerc, known for his strong qualifying performances, finished third but had to stop his car near the end when a gearbox issue suddenly hit.

The session started slowly because the track was cold and slightly wet, making it slippery for the first few laps. Drivers struggled for grip, and teams were careful about sending their cars out. Once the track improved, times began to drop quickly. Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Oscar Piastri all briefly held the fastest time before Norris took control again.

Two red flags, both for track maintenance checks, broke the momentum and reduced the amount of running time. Because of these stoppages, several drivers, including Piastri, couldn’t complete a proper qualifying-style lap on soft tyres.

Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg impressed with fourth place, showing good pace for the team. Racing Bulls youngsters Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar, both known for their strong junior careers, put in strong laps to finish inside the top six. George Russell, Alex Albon, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton completed the top 10.

Las Vegas GP Schedule (IST):

• FP3:

• Saturday - 11:00 AM IST

• Qualifying:

• Saturday - 2:30 PM IST

• Race:

• Sunday - 1:30 PM IST

With FP2 heavily disrupted, teams will be banking on FP3 to finalise their car setups before qualifying. The weekend in Las Vegas already looks close and competitive, with only tiny gaps separating the top drivers.