Norris Tops FP2 in Las Vegas Amid Red Flag Chaos

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Lando Norris set the fastest time in Free Practice 2 for the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix, clocking a 1:33.602 to finish the session ahead of Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli by just 0.029 seconds, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc 0.161 seconds behind in third.

The session was twice interrupted by red flags after officials detected a loose manhole cover near Turn 17. The first stoppage came with around 20 minutes remaining, and a second red flag ended the session prematurely with six minutes left on the clock. The limited running meant drivers had only a small window to deliver clean laps, but Norris managed to extract the maximum from his McLaren when it counted.

Cooler night-time conditions and slight track moisture added to the challenge. Antonelli continued his impressive form with another strong showing for Mercedes, demonstrating pace and confidence on his Las Vegas debut. Leclerc, meanwhile, suffered a gearbox issue that forced Ferrari to end his session early, leaving the team with reduced data heading into qualifying.

Oscar Piastri had a more difficult time in the sister McLaren, finishing 14th and nearly nine-tenths off Norris. With qualifying ahead, the Australian will be aiming to regroup and close the gap.

As the bright Vegas lights set the scene for an unpredictable weekend, Norris’s commanding pace places McLaren in a strong position heading into the next sessions.