<figure id="attachment_3215307" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3215307" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-3215307" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/bfe38dd1-charles-leclerc.jpg" alt="Charles Leclerc" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3215307" class="wp-caption-text">Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc attacks a corner during Las Vegas Grand Prix practice as teams fine-tune setups ahead of the weekend. (EPA Images pic)</figcaption></figure>
LAS VEGAS: Charles Leclerc was fastest for Ferrari in first practice for the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Thursday with McLaren&#8217;s Formula One championship leader Lando Norris brushing the wall and struggling in sixth.
Leclerc lapped the floodlit track with a best time of one minute and 34.802 seconds, 0.166 quicker than Williams&#8217; Alex Albon.
Red Bull&#8217;s Yuki Tsunoda was third with four-times world champion teammate Max Verstappen fourth and Williams&#8217; Carlos Sainz fifth.
Norris, who has opened up a 24-point lead in the championship with three rounds remaining, was 0.456 off the pace with Australian teammate and closest rival Oscar Piastri eighth.
McLaren have cautioned repeatedly in the run-up to Las Vegas that they are likely to face a tougher time at a track that has not favoured them in the past.
&#8220;I think this could be a tricky weekend,&#8221; chief executive Zak Brown told Sky Sports television halfway through the session, with Norris skimming the wall without damage and then running off later.
The opening session was on a dirty and unrepresentative track, on streets used by regular traffic, but Leclerc was on the pace from the start, with teammate Lewis Hamilton only 11th.
Racing Bulls&#8217; Isack Hadjar was seventh fastest with his last lap of the session and Mercedes&#8217; George Russell, last year&#8217;s winner, was ninth with teammate Kimi Antonelli completing the top 10.

MatchPoint Times

Leclerc fastest for Ferrari in first Las Vegas GP practice

The Ferrari driver clocks a 1:34.802 lap as F1 leader Lando Norris of McLaren brushes the wall and drops to sixth.

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