AUSTIN, Texas — Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc set the benchmark on Friday at Circuit of the Americas, topping both practice sessions for the United States Grand Prix as the Formula 1 season heads into its final stretch.
Leclerc completed the afternoon’s second practice with a session-best lap of 1 minute, 35.291 seconds on soft tires, edging championship leader Kimi Antonelli by just 0.042 seconds, Motorsport reported. Max Verstappen of Red Bull, fresh off a victory at the Singapore Grand Prix, claimed the third spot, trailing Leclerc by 0.189 seconds.
Ferrari upgrades make early mark
Leclerc set the stage earlier in the day by pacing the opening practice session with a lap of 1 minute, 36.052 seconds, narrowly edging Verstappen by 0.084 seconds. Ferrari arrived in Texas with aerodynamic revisions that included adjustments to the floor, bargeboards, sidepods and diffuser, according to Motorsport.com, though team personnel sought to keep expectations modest by characterizing the package as a minor upgrade.
The modifications paid immediate dividends across the bumpy, undulating 3.45-mile track outside Austin. Leclerc capitalized on a dominant third sector during qualifying simulation runs to displace Verstappen from the top of the timesheet before Antonelli slotted between them.
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton finished fourth fastest in the afternoon, 0.615 seconds back, while Mercedes driver George Russell recovered from a high-speed wobble through the Esses to finish fifth, Motorsport reported.
Antonelli pursues title history
The race weekend in Austin carries major stakes for Mercedes and its 20-year-old rookie sensation. Antonelli entered the 18th round of the world championship holding a 102-point lead over Russell and a 111-point advantage over Hamilton, according to Yahoo Sports.
Under series scoring rules, Antonelli can mathematically clinch the drivers’ championship on Sunday if he secures a race victory while Russell finishes ninth or lower and Hamilton places fifth or worse, Yahoo Sports reported. Should the scenario unfold, the Italian would become the youngest champion in the sport’s history.
Behind the top three teams, Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson logged the sixth-fastest time in FP2, while McLaren encountered balance and grip troubles. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri wound up seventh and eighth, both finishing roughly one second behind Leclerc’s leading benchmark, Motorsport reported.
Rookies and testing on the track
The opening session featured an appearance by former IndyCar competitor Colton Herta, who drove for Cadillac in place of Sergio Perez on home soil. Herta participated in the Friday morning session to collect points needed to secure an FIA superlicense, Motorsport.com reported. Meanwhile, Williams driver Alex Albon spent FP1 running aerodynamic tests directed toward 2027 development rather than posting competitive lap times.
Red Bull also introduced an updated front wing for Verstappen, though his teammate Isack Hadjar endured a more difficult afternoon, placing ninth while dealing with tire grip issues.
Teams will return to the Circuit of the Americas on Saturday afternoon for a third practice run and qualifying to set the starting grid, followed by Sunday’s 56-lap grand prix, which is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. local time, according to Lead Lap Racing.
