The Las Vegas circuit did not convince one of the key figures of the day, who delivered a harsh verdict on the track along the Strip. The tricky features of Las Vegas continue to cause trouble for the main Formula 1 competitors. Between the risk of rain, the cold asphalt, red flags and manhole covers, someone raised doubts about the demanding American circuit. Among them was Oliver Bearman.
Between FP1 and FP2, in fact, several adaptation problems emerged on a track still dirty and not very rubbered in, resulting in very little grip. There were many off-track excursions and lock-ups, while the rain fell lightly only in the final phases of the second free practice session.
That session was marked by an unexpected shortening caused by a well-known issue: the manhole covers. FP2 was reduced by at least 20 minutes due to two consecutive red flags, caused by the need for work on a manhole at turn 17. Within this context came the words of Oliver Bearman. The British driver is certainly not timid when it comes to street circuits. It was at Jeddah in 2024 where he scored his first points with Ferrari, while in the same year in Baku he achieved his first top-10 finish with Haas. And yet, Las Vegas remains, in his opinion, a dangerous and unmanageable track.
“This is the most dangerous street circuit I have ever driven. Normally I love street circuits, but here the grip is really minimal. It is certainly not ideal when you have the walls so close,” he said. Then the number 87 insisted on the theme of safety: “the track is incredibly fast, and this makes it risky. Flying flat out down the Strip is spectacular, but apart from that there is not much else to be excited about,” the Ferrari junior concluded.
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