Formula 1 News: Leclerc tops Practice 1 for Las Vegas GP

Charles Leclerc set the pace in the first free practice session for the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix, posting a best time of 1:34.802 aboard his Ferrari on the Las Vegas Street Circuit.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

In cool, dusty conditions on the low-grip street track, Leclerc edged out Williams driver Alex Albon by 0.166 seconds. Yuki Tsunoda delivered a strong performance for Racing Bulls, claiming third place just 0.269 seconds off the lead, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen slotted into fourth, 0.307 seconds behind.

New Williams signing Carlos Sainz completed the top five in his debut session with the team, 0.377 seconds adrift. Lando Norris was sixth for McLaren, nearly half a second back, with rookie Isack Hadjar seventh for Racing Bulls and Oscar Piastri eighth.

The session ran smoothly under dry skies, allowing all teams to complete valuable mileage. Ferrari appeared particularly competitive, while Red Bull also showed promising pace. McLaren endured a scruffy outing: Norris lightly clipped the wall early on, requiring a floor inspection, and Piastri evaluated a new rear wing specification. The characteristics of the Las Vegas circuit — with its long straights and low-downforce demands — seem to play against McLaren’s current strengths, aligning with pre-weekend predictions that they may struggle for outright victory.

Mercedes adopted a conservative approach, with George Russell and rookie Kimi Antonelli ninth and tenth respectively, suggesting the team is holding performance in reserve for later sessions.

Leclerc’s new teammate, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, ended the session 11th on his Ferrari debut Las Vegas weekend.

With clearer weather expected for the remainder of Friday but potential rain on the horizon for Saturday, Leclerc currently looks like the driver to beat heading into Practice 2.

2025 Las Vegas GP Practice 1 Results