Russell Cruises to Top in Las Vegas FP3 as McLaren Hit Trouble

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George Russell set the pace in the final practice session ahead of qualifying for the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix, topping the timesheets with a lap of 1:34.054 as conditions improved from damp to slick.

The session began on a wet track, with teams starting on intermediate tyres while the surface slowly dried. As grip levels rose, several drivers switched to soft slicks and began to lower the benchmark. Russell nailed a clean late lap to grab first place.

Max Verstappen showed strong pace in second, trailing Russell by just 0.227 seconds, but blamed traffic for compromising his final run. Williams’ Alex Albon impressed with a third-place time, making the most of the improving track conditions.

Several teams struggled during the transition. McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri both faced technical problems that limited their running, leaving them down the order and unable to set competitive times late in the session.

The tricky conditions provided a real challenge for setup work and tyre strategy ahead of qualifying. With grip evolving rapidly, teams will need to make key decisions on balance and tyre allocation. Russell’s performance gives Mercedes a strong platform heading into the decisive qualifying session later today.