Summary

  • Las Vegas Grand Prix qualifying from 06:00 GMT

  • Mercedes' George Russell fastest in final practice at Strip Circuit

  • Mercedes quickest in all three practice sessions

  • Listen to 5 Sports Extra commentary above (UK only)

  • Max Verstappen leads Lando Norris by 62 points in drivers' championship

  • Verstappen will win title if he leaves Vegas leading by 60 points or more

Live Reporting

Lorraine McKenna

  1. Third practice classification

    Third practice classificationF1

    This is how final practice ended earlier, however, a red flag for Lance Stroll's loss of power in the Aston Martin meant a few of the heavy hitters didn't get the chance to improve as the track was ramping up.

    "Miles off", "undriveable" and "I'm going to crash" were just some of the words used by both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez while the pair were doing some running on the medium tyres - a different strategy to the rest of the field. The Dutchman did have a positive reaction once Red Bull switched to the C5 soft compound though.

    George Russell was two-tenths quicker than the McLaren of Oscar Piastri, with Carlos Sainz in third, Lando Norris fourth and Verstappen ending his hour in fifth.

  2. Welcome back

    George Russell drives past he SphereGetty Images

    Welcome back, folks. The stars have already arrived in Las Vegas for Friday night's main event - Formula 1 qualifying.

    Mercedes were once again the team to beat in a Sin City practice session but the margins are tight heading into the first pole fight of this final triple-header.

    Q1 goes green at 06:00 GMT.

    Commentary is available on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds, at the top of this page using the 'listen live' tab and via most smart speakers.

  3. Russell fastest and close qualifying in prospect

    Andrew Benson
    BBC F1 correspondent in Las Vegas

    Mercedes' George Russell in Las Vegas Grand Prix final practiceReuters

    Mercedes driver George Russell topped an intriguing final practice session at the Las Vegas Grand Prix that hinted at a close qualifying session later.

    Russell headed McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by 0.215 seconds, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, McLaren’s Lando Norris, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton next in line.

    But the drivers were building towards the end of the session, setting faster and faster times, when a red flag came out with five minutes to go.

    Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin broke down at the start of the Strip, and that meant none of the drivers were able to show their full hand.

    Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc had just set the fastest middle sector of all when the session was stopped but he ended up 12th on the leaderboard with his best time one he set much earlier in the session.

    Hamilton, too, did not get a chance to complete sufficient laps to set a faster time.

    Red Bull appeared to have made progress after a difficult first day of practice, having hacked out some parts of their rear wing to reduce drag on the long straights of the Las Vegas street circuit.

    Verstappen went fastest with his first run on the soft tyres, but was pipped by other drivers.

    Russell’s pace meant Mercedes have topped all three practice sessions so far in Las Vegas, after Hamilton was fastest in both on Friday.

    It leaves matters poised intriguingly before qualifying at 22:00 local time (06:00 GMT on Saturday), with little clue as to who is in best shape for pole position.

  4. Back for qualifying build-up from 05:30 GMT

    Another practice session topped by Mercedes, but that red flag for Lance Stroll's Aston Martin means we didn't get to see more from the likes of Charles Leclerc and championship leader Max Verstappen.

    On a positive note, we could be in for a blockbuster fight for pole, with at least four teams in with a shout of hitting the jackpot in Las Vegas.

    Time for a quick break. Come back and join us for qualifying build-up from 05:30 GMT.

    See you shortly!

  5. And the rest

    11. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

    12. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

    13. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

    14. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)

    15. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

    16. Yuki Tsunoda (RB)

    17. Valtteri Bottas (Sauber)

    18. Liam Lawson (RB)

    19. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

    20. Zhou Guanyu (Sauber)

  6. Top 10

    1. George Russell (Mercedes) - 1:33.570

    2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.215

    3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) +0.348

    4. Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.438

    5. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.567

    6. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +0.771

    7. Alex Albon (Williams) +0.837

    8. Franco Colapinto (Williams) +1.153

    9. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) 1.313

    10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) 1.335

  7. Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson almost collided at the end of that session. Lawson was slow-moving on the racing line as his RB team-mate was coming up rapidly behind. "Yuki nearly rear-ended me," says the New Zealander.

  8. chequered flag

    Chequered flag

    That's our lot from practice in Las Vegas.

    Mercedes' George Russell ends the hour quickest by 0.215 seconds from the McLaren Oscar Piastri and the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz.

  9. Alice Powell
    British racing driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    A mistake from the Red Bull team and Sergio Perez there but his team are now with him and he will get wheeled back down to his garage.

  10. The time is ticking away and there are still cars trying to leave. Sergio Perez misses the deadline and has to stay put in the pit lane.

  11. Alice Powell
    British racing driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    There's not a lot of time left available to the drivers on track as the brakes continue to smoke, especially the front right on Lance Stroll's car.

  12. Track clear

    The queue is long at the end of the pit lane to get out and try and soak up the last drops of this third practice session. Less than a minute to go...

  13. red flag

    Red flag

    Lance Stroll is safely away from his car, watching on from the side of the track as the marshals come to his aid following that loss of power. The Aston Martin is pushed through the gap, away from the action, and the session is going to resume.

  14. Rosanna Tennant
    5 Live F1 reporter in Las Vegas

    There was a big cheer in the grandstands as Max Verstappen went fastest a few moments ago. I guess they are here to support the driver who could become the four-time world champion this weekend, but it's still a long way to go.

  15. red flag

    Russell quickest

    Just before that red flag for the Aston Martin, the timesheets were changing rapidly on the evolving track. George Russell leads with a 1:33.570 from the McLaren of Oscar Piastri and the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz.

  16. Alice Powell
    British racing driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Easily done there for Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez is nearly 1.5 seconds off his team-mate so he will be very disappointed with that.

  17. red flag

    Red flag

    Lance Stroll has come to a stop on track and now the red flag is shown. The Canadian is safely out of the car and the marshals are on the scene.

  18. Verstappen goes to the top

    George Russell jumped above team-mate Lewis Hamilton while Max Verstappen was just starting his flying lap on the softs. Two preparation laps and here he goes - straight to the top of the leaderboard. Verstapen says that felt much better.

  19. Alice Powell
    British racing driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Both the Red Bulls are out on the track at the moment together and it's going to be interesting to see how they get on because they've not set a lap time yet during this session on the soft tyre.

  20. The two Red Bulls have rejoined the action following those earlier troubles on the mediums. Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez are on the soft tyres now, so let's see where the two can slot into on the timesheets...