Hamilton fastest as Verstappen struggles in Vegas

But between the sessions, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff played down the significance of his team setting the pace, saying they were the “low-grip champions”.

Wolff said: “P1 is always good and then when the grip kicks in, performance deteriorates.”

Verstappen’s position appeared real, however, the Red Bull clearly struggling for grip through the two hours of running. He was two seconds off the pace by the end of the day, having not completed a lap on the soft tyre the other leading drivers used for their qualifying simulation runs.

Russell ended the second session third fastest, ahead of the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc.

Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, Haas driver Kevin Magnussen, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg and RB’s Yuki Tsunoda completed the top 10.

On race pace, Ferrari, the pre-event favourites, appeared to have the edge, from McLaren and Verstappen.

The session was briefly interrupted by a red-flag period, when Alex Albon’s Williams stopped at Turn Six with a fuel-system issue.