Lewis Hamilton previews Las Vegas Grand Prix

There was only nine minutes of green-flag running during FP1 for the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix on Friday after Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari ripped up a manhole cover, causing major damage to the underbody of his SF-23.

With the session red-flagged it was decided that all of the covers on the track would have to be checked over, putting an early end to the running and jeopardising the start to FP2 later on Friday. 

This has only added to the conversation surrounding the event with many drivers expressing their distaste for the show and grandeur that has surrounded F1’s return to Las Vegas. 

None of these voices of opposition have been louder than that of reigning world champion Max Verstappen, who insisted that he looked “like a clown” during the opening ceremony on Thursday.

For all the latest news and updates ahead of the Las Vegas GP follow below…

Red Bull drivers frustrated with track conditions

Christian Horner has revealed that his drivers likened the Las Vegas track conditions to wet-weather running after a chaotic FP1 session.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1, he said: It’s a great shame for the fans that came out to see the cars running, but safety comes first. We’ve just got to get this right, and hopefully, it won’t take too long.

“They’ve said that it’s like driving in the wet on slicks at the moment. But that’s normal for such a new surface. Especially in the braking zone, it’s really tricky.”

Max Verstappen will be hoping to extend his winning streak to six races on the streets of Las Vegas on Sunday, but this race is looking set to be a true banana peel for the drivers.

Good morning

Hello and welcome to Express Sport’s rolling F1 news coverage. We will be bringing you all of the latest news and reactions from the first day of running at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

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