Charles Leclerc continued Ferrari’s strong start to the United States Grand Prix weekend by topping FP2. The Monegasque recorded a 1:35.291 at the Circuit of the Americas.
Only 0.042 seconds behind, Kimi Antonelli makes the improvements in the second session as he looks to secure his maiden World Championship this weekend. Max Verstappen completed the top three, while Lewis Hamilton and George Russell rounded out the top five.
Earlier in Austin
Charles Leclerc topped the opening practice session at the United States Grand Prix, finishing just 0.084 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen. The Red Bull driver briefly held the fastest time before his lap was deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 19. Lando Norris finished third as McLaren continued preparations for Sprint Qualifying.
Mercedes also showed promising pace, with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli completing the top five. Lewis Hamilton finished sixth, while Oscar Piastri struggled to match his teammate’s pace and ended the session seventh. Further down the order, Williams endured a difficult session as both drivers focused on aerodynamic testing. With only one hour of practice available, teams faced limited opportunities to refine their setups ahead of Sprint Qualifying.
Green Lights on FP2
Pierre Gasly was the first driver onto the circuit as teams began their Friday afternoon programmes. Most drivers opted for medium tyres, while Ferrari and McLaren began their running on the hard compound. Conditions remained hot in Austin, with track temperatures reaching 41°C. Verstappen established the early benchmark with a 1:36.581 before Russell moved ahead with a 1:36.035.
Track limits quickly became an issue, particularly through the final sector. Hamilton, Oscar Piastri, Isack Hadjar and Antonelli all had their opening lap times deleted. Antonelli also encountered an early setback after reporting that his seat was moving inside the cockpit. The championship leader returned to the Mercedes garage for repairs before rejoining the session.
Meanwhile, Piastri and Alex Albon both locked up at Turn 12 and ran deep into the corner. Leclerc was also forced to abandon a flying lap after encountering Liam Lawson at Turn 7. An unusual incident between Leclerc and Russell then caught the attention of the stewards. Russell initially overtook the slow-moving Ferrari at Turn 16 before Leclerc attempted to reclaim the position. The Mercedes driver forced Leclerc off the circuit at Turn 18, earning a black-and-white warning flag.
As the session progressed, Verstappen improved his benchmark to 1:35.934. Antonelli also recovered from his earlier difficulties to move into third behind the Red Bull and Russell.
Soft tyre running shakes up the order
With the session approaching its halfway point, teams began switching to soft tyres for qualifying simulations. Leclerc continued his impressive Friday form, setting a 1:35.291 to move to the top of the timesheets. Antonelli responded with a competitive lap, going fastest through the middle sector before losing time in the final sector.
The Italian finished just 0.042 seconds behind Leclerc, while Verstappen settled into third. Hamilton improved to fourth with a 1:35.906, although he remained over six-tenths behind his Ferrari teammate. Russell completed the top five despite a significant moment of oversteer at Turn 5.
McLaren endured a more difficult afternoon. Norris lost the rear of his car approaching Turn 15, forcing him to abandon a promising flying lap. Piastri briefly climbed into fifth before his fastest lap was deleted for exceeding track limits. The Australian eventually finished eighth, one position behind Norris.
Further down the order, Liam Lawson impressed with sixth for Racing Bulls. Williams continued to struggle as both drivers battled handling issues throughout the session. Albon suffered several off-track moments and finished last after losing another lap to track limits. The final stages saw teams turn their attention towards longer runs and race simulations. Significant tyre degradation became apparent as drivers struggled with sliding and limited grip.
Final classification
Leclerc remained fastest at the chequered flag, completing a clean sweep of Friday’s practice sessions. Antonelli finished second ahead of Verstappen, with Hamilton fourth and Russell fifth. Lawson secured sixth ahead of Norris and Piastri, while Hadjar and Oliver Bearman completed the top ten.
With Friday’s running complete, Ferrari appears to have made a promising start to the weekend. However, Antonelli and Verstappen remain firmly in contention ahead of Saturday’s final practice and qualifying sessions.
Feature Image Credit: Formula 1 via X