Russell Tops Tricky Las Vegas GP FP3; McLaren Struggles

George Russell mastered a rapidly drying Las Vegas Strip Circuit to top the third and final practice session, edging out Max Verstappen. The session saw challenging conditions, with early running on intermediates before slicks became viable, creating a tricky lead-up to qualifying. McLaren, in particular, endured a difficult session, with both drivers encountering issues and finishing at the bottom.

Why it matters:

The unpredictable conditions in FP3, with a damp track transitioning to dry, mean teams head into qualifying with limited relevant data. Russell's performance suggests Mercedes might have found a sweet spot, while McLaren's struggles highlight how critical adapting to track evolution will be for the rest of the weekend. This session provided a crucial, albeit chaotic, final tune-up before the pressures of qualifying.

The details:

• The session began on a damp surface after morning showers, making it the first wet running of the Las Vegas weekend.
• Early laps on intermediate tires saw drivers struggling for grip, with Alex Albon’s slide at Turn 5 illustrating the challenge.
• Lewis Hamilton initially set the benchmark with a 1m42.809s, leading an early Mercedes 1–3.
• McLaren's Woes: Oscar Piastri suffered a telemetry failure, forcing him to park. Lando Norris was cautious on soft tires but an electrical problem ended his running, leaving both McLarens at the bottom of the timesheets.
• As the track dried, slicks became the tire of choice, leading to a flurry of faster lap times. Yuki Tsunoda and Charles Leclerc briefly topped the charts.
• Max Verstappen then took the lead with a 1m39.156s, before further improvements from Leclerc, Hamilton, and himself.
• Hamilton had a near-collision with Liam Lawson at Turn 14, indicating the patchy grip levels.
• Russell's Late Charge: In the final minutes, George Russell put together a clean lap to post a 1m34.054s, unseating Verstappen from P1. Verstappen attempted to respond but ran wide on his final flyer.
• Alex Albon impressed in third, followed by Isack Hadjar’s Racing Bulls and Hamilton in fifth. Kimi Antonelli, Lawson, Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso, and Pierre Gasly completed the top 10.

What's next:

With qualifying approaching, teams face a strategic unknown. The conditions in FP3 are unlikely to be replicated, making precise setup and tire choices critical. The key will be how quickly teams can adapt to the fully dry, rubbered-in track conditions expected for qualifying. McLaren will be desperate to resolve their issues and find pace to avoid a difficult qualifying session, while Mercedes and Red Bull will be aiming to build on their strong FP3 performances.