Leclerc Leads the Way in FP1 at Las Vegas Grand Prix

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Charles Leclerc set the early benchmark in Free Practice 1 for the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix, clocking a fastest lap of 1:34.802 on a street circuit that proved slippery and tricky for many drivers.

Leclerc’s time put him 0.166 seconds ahead of Williams’ Alex Albon, who impressed with second place. Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda (third) and Max Verstappen (fourth) followed closely, both within four-tenths of Leclerc’s pace. Carlos Sainz claimed an encouraging fifth for Williams.

McLaren endured a challenging start: championship leader Lando Norris skated on the dirty surface, brushing the barrier and ending with the sixth-fastest time, while teammate Oscar Piastri was eighth. The high-speed, low downforce Vegas circuit exposed weaknesses in balance and braking for several teams as temperatures dropped and track grip continued to evolve under the lights.

Isack Hadjar delivered a solid run in the Racing Bulls car, placing seventh. The Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli were ninth and tenth respectively, suggesting that they may need to find more performance in the sessions ahead.

Leclerc’s strong opening run will give Ferrari confidence heading into FP2 and qualifying. Meanwhile, teams like McLaren face work to dial their cars in if they are to challenge further down the road this weekend.