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The first day of running in the 2024 F1 Las Vegas GP is done and dusted with FP1 and FP2 completed. By the end of it, we have a familiar face of Lewis Hamilton at the top of the standings with teammate George Russell in his Mercedes in P3. The cold and slippery conditions made it hard for cars to get the right amount of grip.
The dirty track because of its proximity to the desert was also a concern at the start of FP1 but as the day continued, the cars got faster and faster as the track got grippier. The usual suspects were more or less where they were expected to be with Ferrari being close to the top and so was McLaren and Mercedes.
The Red Bull of Max Verstappen did not feature in the top 10 as he didn't set his fastest time on the soft tires. With that being said, as Friday's running comes to a close, what did we learn? Let's take a look.
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2024 F1 Las Vegas GP FP1 and FP2: Key Takeaways
#1 Mercedes looks brilliant in the colder Weather
We expected cold conditions to work for Mercedes but for them to work this well is a big surprise. The car looks brilliant around the track and this time around even Lewis Hamilton looks confident with what he has under him.
For the F1 Las Vegas GP, Mercedes is potentially fighting for the podium at the very least.
#2 McLaren is not too far from the front
McLaren more often than not keeps its cards closer to the chest and the FP1 and FP2 were no different. A car that's seemingly good in all conditions right now, Lando Norris once again shows that the performance is there and the car is not too far from being the best on the grid.
#3 As expected, Ferrari struggles with firing up the tire
This was going to be one of the major struggles for Ferrari at the F1 Las Vegas GP. The car suits the track layout perfectly but has one weakness: the low grip surfaces in low temperatures.
The car should be alright in the long run but it does appear that the F1 Las Vegas GP qualifying could be a bit compromised for the team.
#4 Red Bull's not looking competitive
Red Bull is not looking competitive on the short runs and one of the reasons could be the fact that the team has brought a rear wing that's just too steep for the track. With that being said, the car does have pace on the long runs and is not too far behind.
A podium this weekend though looks highly unlikely as the car is possibly the 4th fastest at this stage.
#5 Haas, Aston Martin, and Alpine contest for the final points
Finally, it does appear that in the battle for points, it's going to be contested by the likes of Aston Martin and Haas, with Alpine proving to be another surprise pick with some impressive runs.
