Ferrari tops the opening session of the United States Grand Prix as drivers contend with worsening bumps at the Circuit of the Americas.
Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in the opening free practice session for the United States Grand Prix, leading Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and George Russell as Formula 1’s four leading teams occupied the first four positions at the Circuit of the Americas.
The Ferrari driver recorded a best lap of 1:36.052, finishing just 0.084 seconds ahead of Verstappen’s Red Bull. Norris followed in third, 0.245 seconds off the pace, with Russell fourth for Mercedes, 0.326 seconds behind Leclerc.
The closely matched times provided an early indication of the competitive order in Austin, where increasingly severe track bumps emerged as a major concern during the opening hour of running.
Ferrari and Rivals Introduce Upgrades in Austin
Following three consecutive races in Asia, Formula 1 began another run of three Grands Prix in Austin, with several teams introducing developments aimed at improving performance.
Ferrari arrived with a substantial upgrade package for its SF-26, including a new floor, revised sidepods, an updated engine cover and a completely redesigned diffuser.
McLaren introduced new front and rear brake ducts intended to improve performance and airflow around the MCL40, alongside a slightly modified diffuser. Red Bull made changes to the front wing endplates, while Mercedes brought no new components.
Racing Bulls also introduced an extensive package featuring revised front wing endplates, new rear wing aerodynamic elements, an updated floor and corresponding modifications to the engine cover.
Audi brought revised front brake ducts, changes to the forward section of the floor and updated mirror supports. Alpine introduced a new rear wing and modified rear brake ducts, while Cadillac made adjustments to its floor-edge elements and engine cover vents.
Haas, Williams and Aston Martin joined Mercedes in running without new upgrades. Both Haas cars were equipped with the Singapore-specification package, unlike at the previous race.
Track Bumps Present an Early Challenge
The condition of the Circuit of the Americas quickly became one of the main talking points, with the bumps having worsened since last year’s event.
All drivers completed installation laps shortly after the session began, with several immediately moving onto timed runs using hard and medium tyres.
Verstappen initially established a benchmark of 1:39.431 before Leclerc improved to 1:39.152 on medium tyres.
Norris then moved ahead with a 1:38.715, while Lewis Hamilton briefly climbed to second before his lap was deleted for exceeding track limits.
Verstappen reported an unusual sensation through his Red Bull’s steering, describing friction and the feeling that something was obstructed. Tom Hart, who is being prepared to work with the Dutchman as his future race engineer ahead of Gianpiero Lambiase’s departure for McLaren, responded over the radio.
Liam Lawson briefly headed the timesheets on hard tyres with a 1:38.631, but Verstappen soon lowered the benchmark to 1:38.040.
Hamilton subsequently went quicker with a 1:37.235 before Leclerc regained the lead with a 1:36.761.
Leclerc Sets the Benchmark as Verstappen Loses Fastest Lap
Ferrari continued to feature prominently as the session progressed, with Hamilton briefly occupying second place behind Leclerc.
Russell reported understeer during his early running, while both Racing Bulls drivers moved into the top ten.
As teams switched to soft tyres, Leclerc improved to 1:36.052, setting the lap that would ultimately remain unbeaten.
Verstappen moved into second place, with Norris third and Russell eventually climbing to fourth.
The Red Bull driver briefly went faster than everyone with a 1:35.860, but the lap was deleted, leaving Leclerc at the top of the classification.
Hamilton also encountered difficulties during his qualifying-style runs, making a mistake at the opening corner on one attempt before running beyond the track limits and striking a kerb heavily on another.
With the session approaching its conclusion, teams began evaluating tyre behaviour over longer runs despite having three practice sessions available during the weekend.
Audi Shows Promise as Racing Bulls Reach the Top Ten
Kimi Antonelli finished fifth for Mercedes with a 1:36.533, ahead of Hamilton in sixth and Oscar Piastri in seventh.
Gabriel Bortoleto delivered a promising eighth place for Audi, setting a 1:36.995. His teammate Nico Hülkenberg finished only 18th after encountering problems during the second half of the session.
Racing Bulls placed both cars inside the top ten, with Arvid Lindblad ninth and Lawson tenth.
Oliver Bearman finished 11th for Haas, followed by Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll in the two Aston Martins.
Isack Hadjar ended the session 14th for Red Bull without a valid lap on soft tyres, ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Haas driver Esteban Ocon.
Franco Colapinto was 17th, followed by Hülkenberg, Carlos Sainz, Valtteri Bottas and Colton Herta.
Alex Albon finished at the bottom of the classification after mistakes prevented him from recording a representative fast lap. His best recorded time was 2:07.864.
Williams had experienced a difficult opening session, with neither driver setting a timed lap approaching the halfway point as the team worked on adjustments to its cars.
Sainz eventually climbed to 19th on medium tyres, while Albon remained at the back after losing a faster lap.
Herta Makes Cadillac Appearance as Grid Penalties Emerge
Colton Herta took part in FP1 for Cadillac in place of Sergio Pérez, making what could be his final Formula 1 practice appearance before returning across the Atlantic.
The American completed 21 laps and finished 21st with a best time of 1:39.979, behind Cadillac teammate Bottas.
Several drivers also face penalties during the United States Grand Prix weekend.
Lindblad will receive a five-place grid penalty following a change of internal combustion engine.
Colapinto faces a ten-place grid penalty, while Bortoleto is set to start from the back of the grid.
Gasly Highlights Austin’s Severe Bumps
Following the chequered flag, Gasly delivered his assessment of the session directly from the cockpit during F1 TV’s coverage.
The Alpine driver described the session as positive overall but emphasised the considerable work still required to improve the car.
“It was a good session. There are a lot of things to work on. The track is very bumpy, and there are problems to solve,” Gasly said.
“It’s clearly the bumpiest circuit this season. It’s tricky, but I’m sure we’ll manage.”
Asked about Alpine’s performance at the beginning of the weekend, Gasly acknowledged that the A526 was not yet where the team wanted it to be.
“It’s not good enough, but I’m sure we’ll manage to find some performance. The balance isn’t perfect yet, but it’s a good start, even if we have work ahead of us.”
Tight Margins Leave the Competitive Order Open
Leclerc’s advantage over Verstappen amounted to less than a tenth of a second, while Norris and Russell remained within 0.326 seconds of the leading Ferrari.
The four fastest drivers represented four different teams, underlining how closely matched the leading contenders were during the opening session.
Antonelli, Hamilton and Piastri completed the top seven, while Bortoleto’s eighth place offered an encouraging early indication for Audi despite Hülkenberg’s difficulties.
Ferrari finished Friday’s opening session at the head of the classification, but the small gaps between the leading teams left little separating the main contenders as the Austin weekend got underway.
| Pos. | Driver | Car | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari SF-26 | 1:36.052 | 26 |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull RBPT Ford RB22 | +0.084 | 25 |
| 3 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes MCL40 | +0.245 | 22 |
| 4 | George Russell | Mercedes W17 | +0.326 | 26 |
| 5 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes W17 | +0.481 | 25 |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari SF-26 | +0.503 | 23 |
| 7 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes MCL40 | +0.734 | 23 |
| 8 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi F1 R26 | +0.943 | 23 |
| 9 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls RBPT Ford VCARB 03 | +1.011 | 26 |
| 10 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls RBPT Ford VCARB 03 | +1.257 | 22 |
| 11 | Oliver Bearman | Haas Ferrari VF-26 | +1.613 | 23 |
| 12 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Honda AMR26 | +1.636 | 22 |
| 13 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Honda AMR26 | +1.731 | 25 |
| 14 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull RBPT Ford RB22 | +1.738 | 23 |
| 15 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Mercedes A526 | +1.749 | 23 |
| 16 | Esteban Ocon | Haas Ferrari VF-26 | +1.844 | 26 |
| 17 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine Mercedes A526 | +2.069 | 23 |
| 18 | Nico Hülkenberg | Audi F1 R26 | +2.070 | 21 |
| 19 | Carlos Sainz | Williams Mercedes FW48 | +2.794 | 19 |
| 20 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac Ferrari MAC-26 | +3.001 | 21 |
| 21 | Colton Herta | Cadillac Ferrari MAC-26 | +3.927 | 21 |
| 22 | Alex Albon | Williams Mercedes FW48 | +31.812 | 19 |
