Leclerc puts Ferrari ahead again as Austin F1 practice raises questions for rivals

News Summary

• Charles Leclerc set the pace again during Friday’s running in Austin, building on his fastest time in FP1.
• Ferrari is evaluating a revised floor, sidepods and diffuser as it attempts to improve the competitiveness of the SF-26.
• The second session also featured an on-track incident involving Leclerc and George Russell, while teams continued assessing tyres and race preparation.

Charles Leclerc maintained Ferrari’s advantage during second free practice for the 2026 United States Grand Prix, setting a fastest lap of 1:35.291 at Circuit of The Americas on Friday (October 23). The Monegasque led both sessions on the opening day in Austin, although championship leader Kimi Antonelli came within just 0.042 seconds of denying him the top position.

Max Verstappen finished third for Red Bull, 0.189s behind Leclerc, while Lewis Hamilton reinforced Ferrari’s strong performance by taking fourth with a 1:35.906.

George Russell completed the top five for Mercedes, 0.744s off the pace, followed by Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson in sixth.

McLaren endured a less convincing afternoon. Lando Norris finished seventh with a 1:36.373, just 0.014s ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri in eighth.

Isack Hadjar and Oliver Bearman completed the top ten, while Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto finished 11th.

Leclerc completes Friday sweep as Ferrari upgrades deliver promising pace

Ferrari arrived in Austin with a revised aerodynamic package intended to improve the SF-26’s performance during the closing stages of the season.

The modifications include changes to the floor, sidepods and diffuser, with the team looking to build on its recent progress against Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren.

Leclerc immediately established himself among the fastest drivers during FP1, initially setting competitive times on medium tyres before switching to the soft compound.

His 1:36.052 remained the benchmark after Verstappen had a quicker lap deleted for exceeding track limits.

The Ferrari driver returned to the top during FP2, improving his fastest lap to 1:35.291.

That represented an improvement of 0.761 seconds compared with his FP1 benchmark, although changes in track conditions and tyre usage mean the difference cannot be attributed exclusively to the aerodynamic upgrade.

Hamilton also showed encouraging speed, finishing fourth and giving Ferrari two representatives among the fastest four drivers.

The seven-time world champion recorded a 1:35.906, placing him 0.615s behind his teammate.

Ferrari will use Friday’s data to evaluate how effectively the latest package performs across the different sectors of Circuit of The Americas.

The venue combines high-speed direction changes, long straights, heavy braking zones and slower corners, creating a demanding test of aerodynamic efficiency and car balance.

Antonelli closes to 0.042s as Mercedes challenges Ferrari

Antonelli emerged as Leclerc’s closest challenger during the second session, recording a 1:35.333 to secure second place.

The Italian had finished fifth during FP1, 0.481s behind Leclerc, but improved his relative position significantly in FP2.

His fastest lap left him just 42 thousandths behind Ferrari’s benchmark.

The result came as Antonelli prepared for his first mathematical opportunity to secure the 2026 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship.

The Mercedes driver arrived in Austin holding a 102-point advantage over Russell, having established himself as the championship’s leading performer during the new regulatory era.

Russell finished fifth in FP2 with a 1:36.035, seven-tenths behind his teammate.

Mercedes continues evaluating its latest aerodynamic specification at Austin, although the manufacturer has postponed the introduction of its planned power-unit upgrade.

The revised engine will not be available for the United States Grand Prix, while its introduction at the next rounds remains uncertain.

The decision has implications for Russell’s remaining component allocation and potential grid penalties, as explained in Mercedes’ latest engine-upgrade delay and Russell’s penalty dilemma.

Verstappen remains competitive after consecutive Red Bull victories

Verstappen continued his strong run of performances by finishing third in FP2, with a 1:35.480.

The Red Bull driver was 0.189s behind Leclerc and 0.147s slower than Antonelli, leaving the leading three drivers separated by less than two-tenths.

The Dutchman had already been Ferrari’s closest rival in FP1, when he finished second after losing an even faster lap to track limits.

Red Bull arrived in Austin after winning consecutive Grands Prix in Malaysia and Singapore, completing an impressive recovery during the second half of the championship.

The team’s improved competitiveness has been particularly notable because its RB22 and new Ford-backed power unit encountered significant difficulties earlier in 2026.

Verstappen recently explained how this year’s development programme differed from Red Bull’s late-season recovery in 2025, highlighting the different technical problems addressed by the team.

His comments are detailed in Verstappen’s explanation of Red Bull’s latest Formula 1 comeback.

Hadjar finished ninth in the second Red Bull, recording a 1:36.411.

McLaren more than a second behind Ferrari in FP2

McLaren faced a difficult second session compared with its main rivals.

Norris finished seventh with a 1:36.373, while Piastri was eighth with a 1:36.387.

Both drivers were more than a second slower than Leclerc’s fastest time.

The result contrasted with FP1, when Norris had finished third, just 0.245s behind the Ferrari driver.

However, the raw FP2 classification does not establish the complete competitive picture because teams may have used different fuel loads, tyre preparation strategies and running programmes.

Norris and Piastri completed 27 laps each during the second session, giving McLaren substantial running to evaluate its race preparation.

The team will analyse the information before Saturday’s final practice and qualifying.

Norris had also raised concerns about the condition of Austin’s racing surface before the weekend, supporting Verstappen’s criticism of the circuit’s persistent bumps.

The McLaren driver revealed that the physical consequences of racing on particularly uneven tracks sometimes require him to take headache medication before driving.

His remarks are covered in Norris’s criticism of Austin’s bumpy surface.

Lawson impresses as Aston Martin and Williams struggle

Lawson delivered one of the strongest midfield performances, finishing sixth for Racing Bulls with a 1:36.331.

The New Zealander was 1.040s behind Leclerc but ahead of both McLarens, Hadjar and Bearman.

His teammate Arvid Lindblad finished 13th, while Bearman completed the top ten for Haas.

Pierre Gasly finished 12th for Alpine, followed by Lindblad, Esteban Ocon and Franco Colapinto.

Aston Martin remained in the lower half of the classification, with Fernando Alonso 16th and Lance Stroll 17th.

The team arrived in Austin following Honda’s admission that its upgraded turbocharger had failed to eliminate the inconsistent acceleration experienced at the Singapore Grand Prix.

Honda acknowledged that its turbo-control systems and MGU-K energy-management strategies still require improvement.

Nico Hülkenberg finished 18th for Audi, while Cadillac drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez occupied 19th and 21st.

Williams experienced another difficult session, with Carlos Sainz 20th and Alexander Albon 22nd.

United States GP 2026 FP2 results — full provisional classification

United States GP 2026 — FP2 full results

When is the next F1 session at Austin?

The United States Grand Prix continues on Saturday, October 24, with FP3 followed by qualifying.

Qualifying will establish the starting order for Sunday’s Grand Prix, subject to any applicable grid penalties.

The complete United States Grand Prix qualifying start times are available for major international markets.

GRANDE PRÊMIO is following every session of the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas this weekend, with breaking news, full coverage and real-time updates in its Formula 1 section.