The much-awaited Las Vegas Grand Prix is here and after the practice session, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton seems to have opinions that contradict reigning World Champion, Max Verstappen. The Briton has been as excited for the race as anybody else and was in fact quite thrilled by the track. However, the Red Bull driver did not share the same enthusiasm for the newly constructed street circuit in the Sin City.
As FP1 encountered an abrupt end when Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz hit a drain lid, there was a two-and-a-half-hour delay in FP2. Regardless, when asked about his experience of racing on the Nevada track, Hamilton said, “It’s incredibly fast and it’s a lot of fun, I had so much fun today. I’m so glad that we did get to run again. Obviously, not great in P1 and what happened, but they did a great job to fix it, and yeah an interesting session.”
Max Verstappen post-practice:
“I didn’t enjoy it, there are more enjoyable circuits to drive. Haven’t discovered anything new. The track improved at the end with a bit more rubber. We were able to complete our entire program.”
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) November 17, 2023
Nevertheless, the Dutch driver from Red Bull does not seem to agree with Hamilton. According to him, “Slippery! We didn’t run a lot in FP1 so it took time to rubber in a little more. In the end, it was better.” When asked about his experience, Verstappen said, “No, no. I’ve had better tracks in my life. I said that yesterday. There is nothing new that I’ve discovered. We just get on with it.” He further added that he felt like a “clown” after Wednesday’s opening ceremony.
Lewis Hamilton stresses on the limited ‘overtaking opportunities’ at Las Vegas
Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are expecting a challenging time at the street circuit in Vegas, particularly during qualifying. The W14, known for its high drag and difficult handling posed a hurdle for the driver duo as they aimed to keep pace with their cars. The further temperature drop at the Sin City making it one of the coldest races in the F1 calendar is another big challenge for the Silver Arrows team.
That’s it after a long day in Las Vegas. A mega shift from the whole team 💪 pic.twitter.com/1qnpk8otcW
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) November 17, 2023
While talking about his plans for the qualifying session, Lewis Hamilton said the track is “massively challenging” and added, “The track has long straights. The possibilities of overtaking are limited by the low grip and small effect of the slipstream. These conditions make qualifying and tire wear crucial for Las Vegas racing” according to Formule1nieuws.nl.
During the practice sessions, Hamilton and Russell did not perform up to standard, but they were nevertheless eager to show off their speed on Friday night during qualification. Ferrari was closely trailing the Silver Arrows in the Constructors’ Championship, in turn, they were required to perform well on Friday and Saturday.