Lando Norris set the pace during the second practice session in Las Vegas, which was briefly halted for 19 minutes due to a loose manhole cover. Norris, leading the championship by 24 points as the season nears its conclusion, edged out Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes by a mere 0.029 seconds on the Strip. Max Verstappen, trailing by 49 points in the title race, finished ninth, while Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri came in 14th.
The session experienced two red flag stoppages following reports of a dislodged drain cover at the final corner. This incident brought back memories of a similar occurrence two years ago when a loose manhole cover damaged Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari. The session was initially suspended at 8:38 pm local time as a precautionary measure while race control personnel assessed the situation on site.
After a 16-minute delay, the session resumed for the final six minutes, with the FIA expressing confidence in the track’s safety. However, the session was interrupted again just three minutes later by another red flag. Race control personnel reported that the manhole cover was moving when cars passed over it, leading to the session’s premature end for further inspections.
Las Vegas hosts the only race on the Formula 1 calendar promoted by the sport’s American owners, Liberty Media. The international television broadcast, overseen by F1, did not show the affected part of the track during the stoppages, influencing the overall timing results. The season is now heading towards its climax with upcoming races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
While McLaren has been dominant this season, the street circuit in Las Vegas has not favored their cars in previous races in Nevada. Despite some challenges in the opening sessions, Norris showed promise in the final interrupted session, building optimism for his championship aspirations.