Challenging Start to Las Vegas Grand Prix Weekend for Ferrari
As anticipated, the first day of track action at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit brought its fair share of challenges. The newly paved track offered minimal grip, causing tyre graining during longer runs. Starting conditions were far from ideal, with a dirty surface gradually evolving throughout the sessions. This evolution is expected to continue over the weekend as teams adapt to the unique conditions at the Nevada circuit.
Free Practice 1 (FP1)
In the opening session, air and track temperatures were on the colder side, at 14°C and 16°C respectively, and dropping further as the hour progressed. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz began their runs on Medium tyres, familiarizing themselves with the tight confines of the circuit and its demanding heavy braking zones. As lap times improved, the Ferrari drivers switched to the Soft compound for qualifying simulations. Leclerc posted a best lap of 1:36.007, followed by Sainz at 1:36.218.
Towards the session’s end, both drivers shifted focus to race simulations, running with heavier fuel loads on the Medium tyres. Collectively, they logged 53 laps—27 for Leclerc and 26 for Sainz—gathering critical data for race setup.
Free Practice 2 (FP2)
The second and quicker session of the day began under the lights at 22:00 local time (07:00 CET). Once again, Leclerc and Sainz started on Medium tyres, with the initial times clocking in at 1:34.476 and 1:34.775, respectively. Switching to Softs, Sainz improved to a 1:34.104, while Leclerc, hindered by traffic, managed a 1:34.313.
A brief red flag interruption, caused by Alex Albon stopping on track, temporarily halted the session. Following the restart, both Ferrari drivers focused on race runs with a heavier fuel load. In total, Leclerc and Sainz completed 29 laps each, further refining their understanding of tyre behavior under long-run conditions.
Looking Ahead: FP3 and Qualifying
The third free practice session is scheduled for 18:30 local time (03:30 CET on Saturday). This session will be pivotal in preparing for both qualifying and the race. Grid positions will be determined later that evening at 22:00 local (07:00 CET), matching the start time of Saturday’s Grand Prix.
The primary challenge for Ferrari and other teams lies in optimizing tyre preparation for the critical flying lap. Limited grip on the track surface is causing excessive sliding, which accelerates tyre graining and hampers performance. Fine-tuning car setups to mitigate these effects will be essential for success in both qualifying and race conditions.
Driver Reactions
Carlos Sainz (#55)
“Thursday here in Vegas was tough. The track has extremely low grip, giving the car a strange feeling. In FP2, we tried some adjustments, but we’re still not where we want to be. There’s a lot of analysis to do tonight to pinpoint the biggest areas for improvement. Hopefully, this will help us approach qualifying in better shape. Race pace wasn’t too bad, but we still have a lot of work ahead.”
Charles Leclerc (#16)
“It wasn’t a great day for us, and it seems like many others struggled too. We’re not as competitive as we hoped coming into the weekend. The cold weather made it hard to bring the tyres up to temperature, something we knew would be a challenge. We’ll focus on addressing this issue and see what progress we can make tomorrow.”
Final Thoughts
With a tricky surface, low temperatures, and evolving track conditions, Ferrari faces a weekend of adjustments and fine-tuning. While there is potential in race pace, the Scuderia will need to tackle tyre management and car setup challenges head-on to deliver a competitive performance in both qualifying and the race.
