8:37 a.m
Franco Colapinto’s violent accident
Qualifying was overshadowed by a serious accident involving Franco Colapinto, which permanently destroyed his Williams. This is of course bad news for the mechanics because they have another long night ahead of them – and that after already having to cope with three serious accidents in Brazil.
The question, of course, is whether the car can be rebuilt after the hard impact or whether the chassis has been damaged. A shortage of parts has also been an issue recently, even if the team has always brushed these concerns aside.
6:50 a.m
Switch to the session ticker now!
Qualifying begins in Las Vegas in ten minutes. We’ll first move the action to our session ticker. So there is a short break here, after the end of qualifying things continue as normal at this point.
6:31 a.m
Fine for Fernando Alonso
Small side note: Fernando Alonso has to pay a fine of 200 euros. The Spaniard was traveling too fast in the pit lane in the third training session and exceeded the permitted 80 km/h by 1.3 km/h. In terms of sport, this has no impact on the Aston Martin driver.
6:24 a.m
Kevin Scheuren behind the scenes
Before qualifying there is still time to watch a short video: fine food, the best view of the track and lots of opportunities to have a really good time. The Formula 1 Paddock Club offers guests an exclusive atmosphere and pure luxury.
We sent Kevin Scheuren to Las Vegas where only VIPs usually go and he shows you what you can get for the hefty price of 35,000 US dollars.
Because we’re not allowed to embed videos from the paddock, that’s all you get on the Formula1.de YouTube channel to see!
6:18 a.m
Hello McLaren!
Las Vegas is of course also the perfect place to show celebrities taking part in Formula 1. And if even a superstar like Adele stops by, then you can definitely mention it. The singer shows up at McLaren before qualifying.
05:58 am
#7: Doohan on Iceman tracks
The cat is out of the bag: The new Alpine driver Jack Doohan will drive in Formula 1 in 2025 with starting number 7. For Formula 1 fans, this number naturally stands for Kimi Räikkönen, who chose this number when the system was introduced – but simply because he had to take a number, as he once said.
Since the “Iceman” has been out of the premier class for a while now, the number has become free again so that Doohan can take it. “I wanted to drive with a number that I had already worn and that had meaning for me,” says the Australian, who drove with it in the Euroformula Open in 2019.
But he also admits that one of his absolute idols, Räikkönen, was driving it, which was also a reason for him. “I’m looking forward to making it my own number and getting some luck from the number 7,” Doohan said.
05:33
Horner: We certainly won’t pay!
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner would also welcome GM, but he sticks to his usual stance on this topic: “As always with these things, it’s a question of money and who pays for it,” says the Brit and emphasizes: “We pay certainly not for that.”
Horner puts it clearly in a nutshell about what the teams are actually looking for with a new team: “I don’t want the prize money pot to be diluted as a result,” he clarifies. “The question that arises is: from which side will the cake be cut? Probably a little bit everywhere.”
But if everything is clarified financially, he wouldn’t stand in the way of a newcomer: “We don’t mind if they come.”
05:14
Brown: Big smile seen at GM
Zak Brown would welcome General Motors with open arms as the eleventh team. Yesterday it was announced that Andretti and his partners’ chances of getting a place in Formula 1 have increased significantly. “That’s great,” says Brown happily Sky about it and believes it’s something “that will excite fans.”
According to rumors, the confirmation could come as early as next week, but when asked about it, Brown doesn’t know anything yet: “We haven’t been officially informed yet, but we are partners with General Motors in our IndyCar team and we have them here with a wide range “I saw a smile on my face,” he says.
“So I think an announcement is probably imminent and it will be exciting to have another manufacturer in our sport alongside Audi.”
05:04
The photos from the training
As usual, you can find pictures of the training in our photo section. Of course, more footage from qualifying will arrive throughout the day. Click in!
Photos: F1: Grand Prix of Las Vegas (USA) 2024, Friday
05:00 am
Rear wing trimmed
Yesterday it was announced that Red Bull did not bring a suitable rear wing to Las Vegas. The version is too steep and the team cannot source a replacement. So what to do?
Red Bull tried to reduce the downforce of the existing wing by hand. The Gurney flaps were removed and part of the rear wing was cut off manually (more on this in this article).
Is that enough? At least it’s not ideal, especially since Verstappen was audibly complaining about his undriveable car…
04:51
Red Bull has problems in the race
For a long time in the third training session, things looked pretty bleak for Red Bull. Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen were in positions 19 and 20 at times and were three seconds behind 18th place. But that was of course only a snapshot and in no way representative, because of that At that point, both Red Bulls had only driven long runs on mediums, while everyone else had already driven softs.
With his first soft attempt, Verstappen took the lead before being relegated to fifth place. A good result in qualifying therefore seems possible, but there are still warning signs.
From the Dutchman’s point of view, the long run was a disaster. After just a few laps he radioed that his left front tire was dead and the rear tires would soon be too.
He braked several times and found himself in the run-off zone. “Undriveable,” he complained. “I can’t drive this. I’ll cause an accident.”
There isn’t much time left to modify the car because nothing is possible after qualifying. The awarding of the World Cup title could perhaps be postponed again.
04:46
What awaits us today
As I said, we have just completed the third training session, but the most important part is still ahead of us. Qualifying starts at 7 a.m. CET and can be quite an exciting affair. We’ve seen three Mercedes best times so far, but I wouldn’t put my hand in the fire for the Silver Arrows to be on pole.
At 12 p.m. Kevin Scheuren and Ruben Zimmermann will welcome you again for analysis in the live stream on the Formula1.de YouTube channel.
04:41 am
It’s qualifying day!
A nice good morning to all early risers. We have just completed the third training session in Las Vegas and are now starting the qualifying day here in the live ticker.
Norman Fischer welcomes you warmly at this point and hopes for an exciting qualifying afterwards. If you have any questions, suggestions or complaints, you can use our contact form. You can also find us on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. Let’s go!
Here’s yesterday’s ticker again for you to read.
Should financial considerations be the primary factor when determining which teams are allowed to enter the F1 grid?
## F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix News: Discussion Points
Here’s a breakdown of the F1 Las Vegas news article, divided into thematic sections, with open-ended questions to foster discussion:
**Section 1: Celebrities and F1 Glamour**
* **Topic:** Adele’s visit to McLaren
* **Discussion Question:** Does the presence of celebrities like Adele enhance the appeal of Formula 1? Is it important for the sport to attract mainstream attention through celebrity appearances?
**Section 2: The Legacy of Kimi Räikkönen**
* **Topic:** Jack Doohan choosing #7
* **Discussion Question:** What does choosing a famous driver’s number signify for a young driver like Doohan? Does it add pressure or inspiration? Does it feel disrespectful to the original driver?
**Section 3: The Financial Side of Adding Teams**
* **Topic:** Horner and Brown’s comments on GM’s potential entry
* **Discussion Question:** Should existing teams have a say in who joins the F1 grid? How important is financial stability for the sport, and how should that be balanced with expanding the field? What are the pros and cons of having a manufacturer like GM enter Formula 1?
**Section 4: Red Bull’s Technical Challenges in Las Vegas**
* **Topic:** Red Bull’s wing problems and Verstappen’s complaints
* **Discussion Question:** How big of a disadvantage is Red Bull facing with their current wing issues? Can they overcome this challenge, or will it significantly impact their performance? What does Verstappen’s frustration indicate about the level of pressure he feels?
**Section 5: The Excitement of Qualifying Day**
* **Topic:** Preview of qualifying session
* **Discussion Question:** Who are the favorites for pole position, and what factors could influence the outcome? How important is qualifying in Las Vegas, considering the street circuit layout? What are your predictions for the race itself?
By using these open-ended questions, you can facilitate a more in-depth and thought-provoking discussion about the key events and themes presented in this F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix news article.
