F1 Las Vegas GP LIVE: Race start time and schedule as George Russell starts on pole
F1 live updates from Vegas on a day where Max Verstappen could claim the 2024 drivers title
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Your support makes all the difference.George Russell put his Mercedes on pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix as team-mate Lewis Hamilton faltered to qualify only 10th.
As Russell saw off Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz by just 0.098 seconds to land top spot in Sin City, Hamilton was left to rue two mistakes which leaves him way down the order.
Pierre Gasly took a surprise third for Alpine, one place ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Lando Norris must outscore Max Verstappen by at least three points to extend the title battle to the penultimate race in Qatar, but the British driver will start one place behind the Dutchman in sixth.
Follow live updates from the Las Vegas Grand Prix:
F1 Las Vegas GP LIVE: Q1 underway!
Here we go then with qualifying in Vegas!
18 minutes where we will lose the slowest five drivers for the rest of qualifying.
This should be exciting!
F1 Las Vegas GP LIVE: Qualifying coming right up!
Pole position could be anyone’s in Vegas, it seems!
Mercedes were the quickest in practice but can Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull challenge the impressively quick Silver Arrows?
Qualifying coming up in five minutes!
F1 Las Vegas GP LIVE: George Russell quickest in third practice
Mercedes topped every practice session - who saw that coming!
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
F1 in talks over 11th team for 2026 season after Andretti rejection
Formula One is reportedly in talks with General Motors about an 11th team joining the grid in 2026.
F1 rejected Andretti’s bid in partnership with GM earlier this year, but did say a new offer for 2028 would be considered.
Yet Sky Sports News understands that, with former boss Michael Andretti out of the picture, a GM entry led by businessman Dan Towriss - the majority shareholder of Andretti Global - is being considered for an entry into the sport as early as 2026.
F1 in talks over 11th team for 2026 season after Andretti rejection
Andretti had their bid turned down earlier this year but General Motors are still interested
How can Max Verstappen win the 2024 title?
There are now just 86 points available across the next three races in Vegas, Qatar (including the final sprint race of the season) and Abu Dhabi.
By the end of the weekend in Vegas, there will be just 60 points left to claim.
That means that if Verstappen simply finishes above Norris in Vegas, he will be crowned the 2024 champion. The Dutchman would also seal the title if both drivers fail to score a point.
Verstappen will also win the 2024 title if Norris does not outscore the Red Bull driver by more than two points.
As a result, Verstappen will be world champion in Sin City if:
- If Norris is second and he finishes third with the fastest lap
- If Norris is third and he finishes fourth with the fastest lap
- If Norris is fourth without the fastest lap and he finishes fifth
- If Norris is fifth without the fastest lap and he finishes sixth
- If Norris is sixth without the fastest lap and he finishes seventh
- If Norris is seventh without the fastest lap and he finishes eighth
- If Norris is eighth without the fastest lap and he finishes ninth
- If Norris is ninth without the fastest lap or lower irrespective of where he finishes
Exclusive: Lewis Hamilton will have ‘weird’ statistic on his mind ahead of Ferrari move, says Sky F1 expert
Karun Chandhok believes Lewis Hamilton will have his poor qualifying record “weighing on his mind” ahead of his blockbuster move to Ferrari next year.
Seven-time F1 world champion Hamilton will leave Mercedes at the end of the season after 12 years to join the Scuderia in 2025.
Despite winning two races this year – at Silverstone and Spa – Hamilton is on track to record his lowest-ever championship position. He is seventh in the drivers’ standings ahead of this weekend’s race in Las Vegas.
Full piece below:
Hamilton will have ‘weird’ statistic on his mind ahead of Ferrari, says F1 expert
Exclusive: Karun Chandhok says Hamilton is slower over one lap compared to his new Ferrari teammate
Lando Norris makes stark admission after ‘defining moment’ in F1 title race
Lando Norris said he was left feeling demoralised for a week after seeing the door virtually slammed shut on his bid for world championship glory.
Norris heads into this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix 62 points adrift of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, with only 86 points remaining across the final three rounds.
Verstappen will take his fourth consecutive title if he outscores Norris on the Strip following the Dutchman’s stunning comeback drive from 17th to first at a rain-lashed Brazilian Grand Prix a fortnight ago.
Norris started from pole position but crossed the line a disappointing sixth.
Full quotes below:
Lando Norris makes stark admission after ‘defining moment’ in F1 title race
The McLaren driver trails Max Verstappen by 62 points heading into the final three rounds of the championship
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