Lewis Hamilton stole the spotlight on the opening day of practice for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, clocking the fastest times in both sessions. But before Mercedes fans could pop champagne (or maybe some sparkling water given their tire woes), Hamilton sounded a note of caution. Turns out, topping the timesheets doesn’t necessarily translate into race-day domination—especially when your race pace is, as Hamilton put it, “not that great.”
After a Brazilian Grand Prix that had him questioning life, the universe, and whether he even wanted to show up for the final three rounds, Hamilton seemed cautiously optimistic. But his post-practice debrief wasn’t quite the euphoric mic drop one might expect from a driver leading back-to-back sessions.
“It’s Not You, It’s the Car”
“It’s the first time I’ve had a day like that this year,” Hamilton said, clearly enjoying the novelty of driving a car that didn’t actively seem to dislike him. While FP1 had him grinning, FP2 wiped off a bit of the shine. “The car was feeling really good in FP1. FP2, less so. So we’ve got some work to do overnight.”
Work to do overnight? Groundbreaking. In other news, the sky is blue, and Red Bull isn’t thrilled with second place.
The problem? Despite the cooler desert conditions under the Vegas lights—ideal for Mercedes, who typically perform worse when it’s as hot as Toto Wolff’s temper post-penalty—the W15 still struggled to keep its race pace intact. “The race pace is not that great,” Hamilton admitted, managing to sound both optimistic and unimpressed in the same breath.
What Happens in Vegas… Might Stay in the Pits
Mercedes has spent much of this season playing tire whisperer, and Vegas was no exception. While the car finally let Hamilton string together some clean laps without trying to yeet him off the circuit, the long-run pace didn’t exactly scream “Sunday victory.”
Still, Hamilton seemed to relish the challenge of Las Vegas’ glitzy, slot-machine-lined street circuit. “I’m really enjoying driving the track,” he said. “I think we’ll see whether the car is still the same tomorrow.” Translation: If the car keeps behaving, we’re golden. If not? Back to square one.
Lessons from Brazil: Don’t Blame Yourself
Last weekend in Brazil, Hamilton dragged himself across the finish line in tenth place—a result that made him question if the W15 was personally offended by his driving style. This time, however, he’s not carrying that baggage into Vegas. “I know it’s not my driving,” he said, adding that Mercedes had identified the root of their Brazil debacle.
For now, Hamilton plans to avoid overthinking, skip major car changes, and—most importantly—get a solid night’s rest. Because if there’s one thing this weekend demands, it’s a driver ready to gamble on anything but reliability.
What’s Next?
With one-hundredth of a second separating him from Lando Norris in FP2, Hamilton knows the midfield wolves are lurking. And while Mercedes might not yet be hitting the jackpot, they’re still at the table. Who knows? Come Sunday, they might surprise everyone—or at least outlast the casino buffet.
Because if Hamilton has learned one thing this season, it’s that winning in Formula 1 isn’t just about speed. It’s about patience, precision, and occasionally bluffing your way through a bad hand.
