22/11/2024
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's second session, the air temperature is 11 degrees C, while the track temperature is 13 degrees. It is decidedly chilly, however there is 0% chance of rain.
In terms of updates, Red Bull has a new Front Wing and Floor Fences. While the former is circuit specific, as are all the new front wings this weekend, the latter features a revised leading edge detail of the second fence from the chassis, which, by elevating the upper edge of the second (inside to out) forward floor fence, means a small vortex can be shed to benefit the floor edge downstream.
Mercedes has a new Front Wing while Ferrari has brought a new Front Wing, Floor Fences, Floor Body and Floor Edge, the latter three feature reworked front floor fences targeting an improvement of the losses travelling downstream. The front floor body volume has subsequently re-optimized, together with the floor edge loading and vortex shedding into the diffuser. Seemingly, the floor upgrades are only available to Sainz and will only be use in this session as the team seeks to run them on both cars in Qatar should they do the desired job.
McLaren has a new Front Wing as does Aston Martin, while Alpine has a new Front Corner which features an update on the front drum fence surface offering a better local flow conditioning, a better interaction with front suspension and overall a better build quality.
RB has a new Coke/Engine Cover, Rear Suspension, Rear Corner and Mirror, the Las Vegas circuit requiring a low-downforce configuration, hence the Monza mirrors make a re-appearance with a further housing modification to clean up the flow.
Haas has a new Floor Body, the geometry of which aims to improve the underbody flow expansion with the car close to the ground, thereby extracting more performance in these conditions, while Stake has a new Floor Body, Floor Fences, Floor Edge and Diffuser. The updated floor, in its entirety, aims to improve the flow characteristics under the floor by rearranging vortices and maintaining losses under control.
Lewis Hamilton led a Mercedes 1-2 earlier, in a session which saw drivers struggle for grip due to the dusty track surface and chilly temperatures.
As expected, Ferrari look strong, as does McLaren, while Red Bull has yet to show its hand opting to spend much of the session on the softs. RB was the big disappointment with its drivers finishing 19th and 20th... however the team is busy tweeting about the revised liveries on its car and driver helmets, so that's alright then.
With it now almost midnight, temperatures are even lower so we can expect more of the same.
The lights go green and the Alpine lead the way, followed by Bottas, Colapinto and Zhou.
As more drivers emerge all are on mediums.
Russell complains that the vent in his helmet is allowing a steady stream of cold air onto his face.
Of the first wave Magnussen goes quickest with a 37.711, the Dane out-pacing Piastri, Norris and Russell.
A 37.511 sees Ocon go top as Colapinto goes fourth.
Perez is also suffering from cold air entering his helmet.
Russell improves with a 36.482 as Hamilton looks set to go top... indeed the seven-time champ crosses the line at 35.805.
"No grip," complains Verstappen as Hulkenberg goes second and Leclerc fourth ahead of Piastri.
No sooner has Norris gone quickest with a 35.406 than Russell responds with a 34.979, which is quicker than anything we saw earlier.
Verstappen goes fifth with a 36.340 but is demoted when his teammate posts a 36.242.
"I think you need to change the set-up," advises Alonso, "more bouncing". The Spaniard, you may recall, was in considerable pain in Brazil due to a similar issue.
Russell raises the bar with a 34.657 as Mercedes continues to impress, however Leclerc responds with a 34.605 as Sainz goes third.
As Verstappen suffers successive lock-ups, Russell continues to complain about the cold air entering his helmet.
Turn 14 is proving to be the corner that is catching out the drivers more than any other.
However... "I made a big mistake into Turn 5," admits Leclerc.
With around 40 minutes remaining, Stroll, Colapinto and Alonso switch from the mediums to softs.
The Williams driver improves to 11th with a 36.234, however his teammate appears to have a fuel system issue and remains in his garage.
Having switched to the softs, Russell goes quickest in the opening sector. Maintaining the pace he crosses the line at 34.015 to go top.
Alonso improves to sixth and Stroll seventh as Hamilton heads out on the softs. The Briton goes second with a 34.229, 0.214s down on his teammate.
Hulkenberg goes fifth and Bottas sixth, the Finn facing a 5-place grid drop after taking on an a fourth energy store.
Sainz goes fourth (34.775) and Piastri fifth, as Gasly accuses the Australian of not opening his eyes.
Sainz improves to second (34.105) having been quickest in the final sector.
Gasly goes seventh, Tsunoda eighth and Ocon tenth, as Norris looks set to improve. Indeed, the McLaren driver stops the clock at 33.836 to go top.
Perez finally bolts on a set of the softs, leaving his teammate as the only driver yet to make the switch.
With 22 minutes remaining, the session is red-flagged.
Albon, who had finally left the pits, has stopped on track at Turn 6. Moments earlier, Zhou had made a mistake at Turn 5 and disappeared up the escape road.
Just before the stoppage, Hamilton had gone quickest with a 33.825, just 0.011s up oh nis teammate.
The session resumes with 19:00 remaining, Gasly, Stroll and Zhou the first back out, along with Russell.
Williams confirms that Albon's session is over as his fuel system issue has persisted and they are unable to fix it in time.
At a time almost everyone is back on the mediums, soft-shod Magnussen improves to seventh with a 34.686.
With attention focussed on longer runs, Hamilton also switches back to the red-banded rubber.
In a session littered by yellow flag moments as drivers run wide and take to the escape roads, Colapinto becomes the latest.
"Tyres are done," reports Hamilton in reference to his softs which have done 6 laps.
Replay shows Piastri kissing the barriers as Hamilton makes use of an escape road.
The session ends. Hamilton is quickest, ahead of Norris, Russell, Sainz, Leclerc, Gasly, Magnussen, Piastri, Hulkenberg and Tsunoda.
Bottas is eleventh, ahead of Ocon, Stroll, Alonso, Lawson, Zhou, Verstappen, Colapinto, Perez and Albon.
Check out our Thursday gallery from Las Vegas here.