The second free-practice session in Las Vegas failed to provide the picture Red Bull had hoped for. The red flag shown with 20 minutes to go significantly complicated the team’s plans, as Mekies explained with caution and realism after the opening day on American soil.
“Very hard to comment on FP2,” he said. “The session was interrupted, so we only had the first run, where we were improving by one second per lap. It’s really difficult to understand where we are.” With the track still evolving and the early stoppage, the team was left with very few useful references. “The cleanest session in terms of data was FP1. We did our proper work there and we may have to return to that baseline for tomorrow because FP2 gave us almost nothing.”
FP1 had indeed shown encouraging signs, especially on the short runs: “The pace looked good,” Mekies noted. “On the long runs we looked more fragile. Not many cars managed to complete their programs, but the drivers’ feelings are still positive.”
Mekies also addressed the work of the drivers and the internal support structure, focusing on Yuki Tsunoda: “The whole team supports both drivers. We know how tough it is to be consistently behind your teammate. When you manage to reduce the gap or show better pace, it’s important to build on it. Yuki is working hard and the team is behind him—it’s not easy.”
Finally, he highlighted the team’s growth throughout the year: “This team never gave up on this year’s car. The start was difficult, but we kept pushing, trying more extreme directions to find a solution. It’s true that many things unlocked in the second half of the season, but the credit goes to everyone in Milton Keynes. Changing the hierarchy mid-season is not simple, but the work has been excellent.”
A mix of caution and optimism, as Red Bull now looks to FP3—with the hope of an uninterrupted session—to finally obtain a clear picture of its true potential on the Las Vegas Strip Circuit.
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All the news, photos, weather, session times and times from the Las Vegas GP 2025
