Ferrari's Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in the first practice session of the United States Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen at the Austin circuit.
Mercedes have reverted both of their cars to the upgraded specification introduced in Malaysia two races ago, although questions remain over its relative performance. The team believe the upgrade holds more potential, but they have not yet found the right set-up to unlock it. They hope a full, normal weekend with three practice sessions will give them the chance to refine it.
Ferrari have brought an upgrade that is fundamentally a new floor. Both Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have played down its potential impact. Hamilton said the update is small, describing it as less than a tenth of a second, and argued it would not propel the team forward enough to close the gap to the leaders.
Hamilton added that the track might suit Mercedes' car, and that Ferrari could have a one-off weekend. He suggested Mercedes could be ready to capitalise if their rivals have an off day.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing