Charles Leclerc showed early promise in an upgraded Ferrari to pip Red Bull's in-form Max Verstappen to the fastest time in first practice at the United States Grand Prix. Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull all introduced fresh revisions to their cars for the opening hour of running at the Circuit of the Americas, which is staging the first leg of the sport's second of three end-of-season triple headers.
Ferrari's package features changes to the car's floor, sidepod and diffuser. Leclerc set the session's pace on the soft tyres with a best lap of 1:36.052. Verstappen, the winner of the last two races, finished 0.084s behind, although he lost a quicker lap on the softs due to a track limits violation at Turn 19.
Lando Norris was third in a McLaren car that also features changes, as the team bids to return to form after a difficult run that saw them slip into the clutches of Red Bull in the Constructors' Championship battle for third. World championship leaders Mercedes have no fresh upgrades in Austin, but both drivers are back to running the package first introduced two races ago in Malaysia.
George Russell finished fourth, 0.326s behind, with title-leading team-mate Kimi Antonelli fifth. Antonelli could clinch the 2026 world title on Sunday if he wins and his team-mate and Lewis Hamilton fail to score sufficient points. Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto was the top midfield runner in eighth, though he faces a back-of-the-grid start after exceeding the season's penalty-free engine allowance.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing