Hamilton fastest as Verstappen struggles in Vegas

Lewis Hamilton led George Russell to a Mercedes one-two in first practice at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Hamilton headed Russell by 0.396 after they traded fastest times at the end of the session, having set the pace throughout the hour.

McLaren’s Lando Norris, still technically in the title fight, was third fastest, while championship leader Max Verstappen’s Red Bull was fifth behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

Verstappen heads Norris by 62 points with three races remaining and will clinch his fourth title as long as he is not out-scored by Norris by more than two points.

Drivers battled a low-grip track with plumes of dust following the cars early on as they cleaned up a year’s worth of dirt in the desert city.

But although a number ended up in the run-off area at Turn 14 at the end of the famous Strip, there were no accidents in a largely uneventful session.

Carlos Sainz in the second Ferrari was sixth fastest, ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez completed the top 10.