Charles Leclerc tops FP1 at the Las Vegas Grand Prix as Yuki Tsunoda outperforms Max Verstappen

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Charles Leclerc topped the timings during the first practice session of the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend as Lando Norris struggled to find grip.

McLaren brought two different rear wing specifications for the session, as teams used the first running to figure out the right mixture between downforce and mechanical grip.

The Woking-based team opted to try a skinnier wing on Oscar Piastri’s car, whilst running a Monza-style spec on Norris’ McLaren during the session.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix track is notoriously slippery, with many drivers initially struggling for grip, especially at Turns 7 and 8.

Early medium tyre runs saw Charles Leclerc initially top the timings ahead of the McLaren duo, with Max Verstappen finding himself 11 seconds behind the Ferrari at the bottom of the table.

The Dutchman’s position in 20th didn’t last too long before the Red Bull driver found himself back at the top. After 30 minutes, Verstappen topped the timing sheets ahead of Charles Leclerc and George Russell.

At the halfway mark of the first session, Piastri found himself in P7, with championship leader Norris sitting all the way down in 12th.

Norris clipped the wall at Turn 9 with his rear tyre, although it didn’t appear too nasty for the McLaren, with team principal Zak Brown telling Sky Sports F1: “the car looks fine” before ominously adding: “it could be a tricky weekend”.

The Brit really struggled for grip in the closing stages of FP1, finding the Turn 12 run off twice in a handful of laps.

Yuki Tsunoda impressed with quick lap times during the first practice session, topping the time sheets with 15 minutes remaining. The Japanese driver’s performance is critical this weekend as Red Bull continues to discuss who will partner Verstappen at the team in 2026.

Although the first practice session is not fully representative of how the results could pan out in Qualifying and the Race due to an earlier start, the start to the weekend looks reassuring for Ferrari and Red Bull.

An outlier in the closing stages was Williams, who saw Albon in P2 and Sainz in P5 as the pair showed the cars’ strength in the cooler temperatures.

It could be an exciting weekend for the Grove-based team who claimed their first podium since 2021 earlier in the year, when Carlos Sainz finished third in Azerbaijan.

Results were also reassuring for Red Bull, which could suggest that Verstappen could cause some upset to the McLaren title fight with just two races remaining.