Ferrari's Charles Leclerc claimed victory in Friday's second practice session at the Circuit of the Americas, narrowly beating Kimi Antonelli by 0.042s to 1m35.291s just before the halfway mark. Max Verstappen's initial benchmark fell as Leclerc demonstrated superior pace in the third sector. The challenging Austin circuit, with its bumpy low-speed and high-downforce corners, continued to cause setup headaches for teams.
McLaren struggled for grip, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finishing seventh and eighth, over a second behind Leclerc. Mercedes's Antonelli split the Ferrari and Red Bull duo, while George Russell recovered from an Esses scare to take fifth. The soft tyre simulations highlighted COTA's relentless demands, particularly through the first sector's Esses, which chewed through rubber.
Lewis Hamilton and Oliver Bearman rounded out the top ten, with Haas driver Bearman claiming the final spot. FP2 underscored the circuit's unique challenges ahead of Saturday's qualifying.
Source: Autosport F1 News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing