The free practice sessions in Las Vegas come to an end, with Ferrari immediately proving competitive. Here are the key points from FP1 and FP2 on Friday at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Discover the essential takeaways from FP1 and FP2 at the 2025 Las Vegas GP. Friday in Las Vegas ended with very positive signs for Ferrari, which looked fast in both FP1 and FP2. In the first session, the standout drivers were Charles Leclerc and the two Red Bull cars, with Yuki Tsunoda even ahead of his teammate, four-time world champion Max Verstappen. FP2 featured several changes to the rear wings, especially on the McLaren and Ferrari cars.
Ferrari incredibly fast but fragile: can they confirm their pace in qualifying?
Ferrari appeared extremely competitive in both sessions. The telemetry shows a car that performs well in braking and traction. The Maranello team focused particularly on the rear wing: in FP1 the engineers opted for a trimmed wing with a spoon-shaped main plane, while in FP2 they mounted a lower-drag version, the same specification that was previously used at Monza.
Due to a technical gearbox issue, Charles Leclerc was unable to complete the second session. Lewis Hamilton also failed to set a lap time on soft tyres because of the red flags shown in the final minutes.
McLaren more competitive compared to 2024?
McLaren looked more solid compared to 2024, even though the car still shows signs of graining on the front tyres. Compared to Ferrari, the papaya team loses time especially under braking, as demonstrated by the off-track moments from Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. In FP1, the reigning world champions appeared to struggle. To limit these issues, McLaren decided to use a higher-downforce wing on Piastri’s car, different from the trimmed configuration used in FP1.
Red Bull and Mercedes in the fight for victory?
Red Bull looked very fast from the start of FP1: Yuki Tsunoda even managed to finish ahead of Max Verstappen. In FP2, the team could not show its full potential, as they never ran on soft tyres due to the two red flags in the final 20 minutes. At the end of the session, Laurent Mekies stated that the only area that still needs improvement is the pace shown during race simulations.
Mercedes confirmed its competitiveness after dominating the 2024 race. Both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli immediately showed strong pace, hinting at a realistic chance of fighting for victory at the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix.
What to expect from the 2025 Las Vegas GP
The two free practice sessions highlight a very compact leading group, but only one driver can stand on the top step of the podium. McLaren seems to be struggling slightly due to a track layout that does not favor the car, combined with persistent graining on the front tyres. Ferrari, on the other hand, appears to have everything it needs to challenge the very best: this could be one of its first real opportunities to secure a win in 2025. Red Bull and Mercedes must not be underestimated either, as both teams remain very close to the front.
Saturday morning’s FP3 session will offer an even clearer picture of the true pecking order.
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