Post by : Rameen Ariff

In a thrilling start to the Las Vegas Grand Prix, McLaren’s Lando Norris showcased his dominance by clocking the fastest time during Thursday’s practice session, although the session faced interruptions from two red flags due to a loose drain cover on the circuit. The disruption, which occurred just before Turn 17, prompted race officials to halt the action after a track marshal reported instability in a manhole cover under the pressure of speeding cars.

The practice was initially paused with 20 minutes remaining for safety measures, resuming after a brief 15-minute delay. However, the issue emerged again with only two minutes left on the clock, leading to another red flag that cut the session short. Subsequent inspections revealed that the drain cover continued to shift post-repair attempt, preventing further practice.

This isn’t the first time that loose drain covers have caused headaches at this circuit. Last year, a similar incident resulted in substantial damage to a Ferrari, highlighting the unique challenges posed by street circuits, which are often built on public roads and may not withstand the intense forces exerted by F1 cars.

Norris set his fastest lap at 1 minute 33.602 seconds using soft tyres prior to the disruption and currently leads the championship standings, holding a 24-point advantage over teammate Oscar Piastri with only three races remaining in the season. Earlier in the day, he narrowly brushed the wall during the first practice but managed to finish that session in sixth place without any damage.

Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli concluded the second practice just 0.029 seconds behind Norris, securing second place, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took the third spot. Leclerc encountered issues of his own, halting his car shortly before the end due to a gearbox problem and adhering to team instructions to not change gears.

In the initial practice of the day, Williams driver Alex Albon finished second, followed by Yuki Tsunoda and Max Verstappen, who found himself in ninth place by the end of the second session after having limited time on soft tyres due to the red flag.

Despite experiencing challenges at the Las Vegas track, which hasn’t traditionally favored their car setup, McLaren’s Norris demonstrated improving speed as the session progressed and track conditions evolved. The dusty surface from regular traffic earlier posed complications, yet Norris’ exceptional pace indicated better performance as the track cleaned up.

As more practice sessions await ahead of qualifying, teams are now focused on readying their cars for further action while hoping to resolve the ongoing circuit issues to prevent additional delays.

#Sports News #Global