Russell tops FP3 in Las Vegas, as McLaren faces a bit of crisis
George Russell mastered the drying conditions to top the final practice session of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, outpacing Max Verstappen by over two tenths. In a session that began on a damp track and ended with a frenetic qualifying simulation, Mercedes and Red Bull showed their hand, while championship contenders McLaren endured a nightmare hour, finishing at the very bottom of the timesheets.
Russell Masters the Mixed Conditions
With rain earlier in the day leaving the Strip circuit damp, drivers tentatively started on intermediates. As a dry line emerged, the timing of the switch to softs became crucial. Russell waited for the perfect window, delivering a 1:34.054 in the dying moments to secure P1. His benchmark was 0.227s clear of Verstappen, suggesting Mercedes has found the sweet spot for the cooler temperatures.
Verstappen Frustrated despite P2
Max Verstappen looked set to top the session before Russell’s late flyer, but the Dutchman was left fuming over traffic in the final sector. Having run wide on his own push lap, he vented his frustration over the radio, highlighting the difficulty of navigating the blind corners of the street circuit when cars are backing up. Despite the anger, the Red Bull’s pace looks ominous for qualifying.
Williams and Racing Bulls Shine
Alex Albon continued his stellar weekend form, putting his Williams P3, albeit 0.8s off the pace. The real surprise, however, was rookie Isack Hadjar. The Racing Bulls driver stunned the paddock with a P4 finish, outpacing seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton in the Ferrari. Hadjar's teammate, Liam Lawson, also impressed in P7, sandwiching rookie sensation Kimi Antonelli in P6.
McLaren’s Nightmare Before Qualifying
The biggest story of the session was the shocking collapse of McLaren’s pace. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finished P20 and P19 respectively, having failed to set a representative lap on the soft tyres. Reports from the garage suggest technical gremlins struck both cars during the crucial final runs, leaving the team scrambling for answers just hours before qualifying. With the championship on a knife-edge, this is the worst possible start to their Saturday.
Hamilton’s Close Call
Lewis Hamilton finished P5 but had a heart-stopping moment with Liam Lawson. The Ferrari driver narrowly avoided slamming into the back of the Racing Bulls car at Turn 14, a high-speed incident that was noted by Race Control but ultimately deemed not to require further investigation. Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, struggled to find rhythm, finishing a lowly P15.
Final Classification – FP3
- George Russell – Mercedes
- Max Verstappen – Red Bull Racing
- Alex Albon – Williams
- Isack Hadjar – Racing Bulls
- Lewis Hamilton – Ferrari
- Kimi Antonelli – Mercedes
- Liam Lawson – Racing Bulls
- Lance Stroll – Aston Martin
- Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin
- Pierre Gasly – Alpine
Analysis: A Qualifying Lottery?
If FP3 is anything to go by, qualifying will be chaotic. The rapidly evolving track and the threat of further rain mean that timing will be everything. Mercedes looks to have the edge in raw speed, but Verstappen is lurking. The biggest question mark hangs over McLaren—if they can't fix their issues, Norris's title hopes could take a massive hit tonight.