George Russell Tops Final Practice in Las Vegas Grand Prix

George Russell secured pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, narrowly defeating Ferrari's Carlos Sainz by just a tenth of a second, while Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Charles Leclerc lined up behind him. Russell had also topped the final practice session earlier, clocking a fastest lap of 1:33.570, ahead of McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Sainz. Defending champion Max Verstappen struggled with grip but managed to finish fifth in qualifying, while Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton rounded out the top six. Notably, Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso failed to make it past Q1, qualifying in P16 and P17, respectively. The session was marked by a late red flag caused by Lance Stroll's car stopping on track. Qualifying set the stage for an exciting race as drivers prepared to compete under the lights of the iconic Las Vegas Strip.