Vegas is often unpredictable, being a newer circuit on the calendar. The track for FP3 was still damp from the downpour Vegas experienced so far this weekend. With the drivers having no prior experience on a wet vegas circuit, FP3 proved vital for knowledge going into qualifying.
Papaya wasting no time
Oscar Piastri was the first out on track as soon as the session started. Off the back of a disappointing FP2 session, the McLaren driver was keen to make up for lost time, and gain valuable insight on the intermediate tyre compound.
He was quick to report that the circuit was still too damp for slick tyres. With no wind and sunlight over vegas, the circuit took a long time to dry up properly. Hamilton, like Piastri, was quick out of the pit box, along with Esteban Ocon. His first flying time was a 1:47.162.
Lando Norris didn’t take long to join his teammate out on the circuit, also running the intermediate tyre. While the track didn’t have much standing water, it was still too damn for slick tyres. Even on these tyres, drivers were still struggling with grip. Max Verstappen was seen sliding into turn 5, and Hamilton running off into turn 1. In the first 13 minutes, Hamilton held the fastest lap.
Too soon for slicks?
As the session continued, the talk about slick tyres continued. Patches of the circuit were dry but it was those wet sections that made the teams wary of switching to soft, medium or hard tyres. The drivers were still able to make pace on the intermediates for the time being.
7 drivers including both Sauber’s were late to set a lap, waiting about 25 minutes to join the session. Lewis Hamilton looked strong in the conditions, battling the top spot against the McLaren duo and being the first to hit the 1:42s.
The weather radar over the Vegas circuit showed the potential of rain at the end of FP3. This could influence qualifying later today. Despite this, Lando Norris was the first driver to brave the soft tyre. Being instructed “no risk” by his engineer, his few laps on those tyres proved one thing; the track was still too wet. In the first sector alone, he was 3 seconds off the mark. But the circuit was drying, eventually there would be pace.
Testing the drys before the rain
Norris wasn’t the only driver to drive on slick tyres during the session. His teammate Piastri, as well as Hamilton soon followed, prior to any rain hitting the circuit. The teams and drivers needed to get a few runs on this compound to gain insight as to the conditions and the tyre grip ahead of qualifying.
A near miss came between Hamilton and Lawson at turn 14. Hamilton has just completed a purple second sector on his soft tyres and was flying. Entering the corner, Lawson was on a slow lap but was still on the racing line. Millimetres separated the two cars but luckily no contact.
With time left in the session before the was set to rain hit, most drivers had switched ro the soft tyre compound and made a lot of improvements to their lap times. Charles Leclerc had solid FP1 and 2 sessions, and he seemed to be finding similar pace in FP3 too.
Flying laps were possible
The threat of rain never hit during the 60 minute session. This meant that all 20 drivers were able to get a good run on soft tyres and simulate qualifying laps. In the closing stages of FP3, many drivers were finding tremendous pace.
George Russell is no stranger to success at this circuit. He picked up the pace in the second half of the session and completed a lap good enough for P1. His lap seemed as though it would be beaten by Max Verstappen, but a lock up meant he was forced to abandon his lap. He finished P2.
The McLaren duo finished FP3 19th and 20th, having pitted early duo to electrical issues with their cars. They both looked strong all session so this finish does not reflect their potential around the circuit. The final driver in the top 3 spot was Alex Albon, who completed a brilliant lap good enough for P3.
The rain did eventually arrive once the practice session concluded. With its intensity, qualifying later will prove tricky for the grid. If this session was anything to go by, it’s anyone’s guess who till take pole in Vegas.