Mercedes’ George Russell set the pace ahead of the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix qualifying, heading Free Practice 3 from the McLaren of Oscar Piastri and the Williams of Logan Sargeant.
That top three were ahead of the Red Bull pairing of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, with Alex Albon in sixth.
However, it wasn’t smooth sailing for the Thai driver, as he become the first of the runners this weekend to make significant contact with the wall, clobbering his rear-left on the barriers at Turn 5 – his Pirelli tyre eventually breaking loose and rolling along the track, bringing a premature end to the session with five minutes to go.
Watch the best of the action in the video above.
Next Up
Related Articles
Listen to F1 Nation's Chinese GP review
Unlocked6 Winners and 5 Losers from China
UnlockedCould Ferrari have stayed in touch with Mercedes in China?
All the key moments from the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix
Watch the highlights as Antonelli takes first F1 win in China
BettingF1 betting markets react after Antonelli's China Win