Leclerc Leads Austin Practice With Three Teams in the Fight

Formula 1 began its activity at the Circuit of the Americas with a Friday that left Ferrari at the top, but also showed that the fight for performance is very tight. Charles Leclerc was the fastest in the two free practice sessions of the United States Grand Prix. However, the second session left a minimal difference with respect to his main pursuers: Kimi Antonelli finished second, just 0.042 seconds behind, while Max Verstappen occupied third position, at 0.189.

The result acquires greater relevance due to the moment Red Bull is going through. Verstappen arrives in Austin after achieving two consecutive victories, first at the Bahrain Grand Prix, exceptionally held in Sepang, Malaysia, and then in Singapore. The Dutchman and his team found an important evolution in the last races, so the performance shown during Friday will be a reference to check if they can maintain that trend against Ferrari and Mercedes.

The first free practice had Leclerc as the protagonist. The Ferrari driver set a time of 1:36.052 and finished ahead of Verstappen, who was 0.084 seconds behind, and Lando Norris, third at 0.245. George Russell was fourth and Antonelli completed the top five positions, in a session that left the main teams very close to each other.

Ferrari began the weekend with aerodynamic novelties in the floor, the sidepods and the diffuser. The improvements are part of the team's work to find a more consistent performance and reduce the differences with respect to its main rivals. At least in the first contact with the circuit, Leclerc managed to find a good balance and placed the Italian car at the top of the table.

Verstappen, for his part, also showed a competitive pace. The Dutchman had recorded a lap of 1:35.860, enough to beat Leclerc, but the time was deleted for exceeding track limits at turn 19. Furthermore, he reported on the radio some friction in the steering when turning left, an aspect that Red Bull had to review before continuing with the weekend's work.

FP1 also left signs that Mercedes still had adjustments to make. Russell reported understeer, while Antonelli finished fifth. Lewis Hamilton was sixth with the other Ferrari and Oscar Piastri occupied seventh position with McLaren. Gabriel Bortoleto surprised by finishing eighth with Audi, ahead of the two Racing Bulls.

The Brazilian, however, faces a complicated weekend due to a 20-position grid penalty. The sanction is related to the use of additional power unit components and will condition his strategy for the Grand Prix. On a circuit where overtaking is possible in some sectors, but requires preparing the maneuvers well, Audi will have to evaluate how to minimize the impact of that penalty.

One of the teams that had the most difficulties during the first session was Williams. The team dedicated part of the practice to aerodynamic tests linked to the development of the 2027 car, which conditioned the usual work of its drivers. Alexander Albon did not manage to record a representative lap and Carlos Sainz finished among the last positions. Although the test program explains part of the result, the team still had to find better sensations during the second practice.

FP2 offered a tighter competition at the front. Leclerc again set the best time, this time with a record of 1:35.291. Antonelli finished just 42 thousandths behind, while Verstappen finished at 0.189 seconds. The difference between the three confirms that Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull arrive with arguments to dispute the first positions, although it is still early to establish a definitive order ahead of qualifying.

The second session did not have major incidents, but it did have some episodes that drew attention. Antonelli began with difficulties settling into the cockpit and complained that he was not comfortable with his seat. The inconvenience conditioned his first minutes, although the Italian managed to recover the pace and finished second, very close to Leclerc.

Turns 19 and 20 were also protagonists. In that sector, George Russell dangerously impeded Leclerc, who found the Mercedes while completing his lap. The maneuver remained under investigation by the stewards, who must determine if the Briton prevented the Ferrari driver from carrying out his attempt normally and if any sanction should be applied.

Sergio Pérez also returned to the track during FP2. The Mexican had not participated in the first practice and took advantage of the second session to complete his work with Cadillac. Furthermore, he drew attention with a special helmet dedicated to Mexico, a tribute that stood out during a day of preparation for the rest of the weekend.

Williams continued with its problems. Albon accumulated several off-track excursions during Friday, while Sainz complained about the car's lack of stability. After a first session conditioned by the aerodynamic tests, the team still needs to find a configuration that allows its drivers to complete more consistent laps and get closer to the pace of its rivals.

With both practices completed, Ferrari leaves as the initial reference of Austin. Leclerc was the fastest in both sessions and the improvements introduced seem to have allowed him to find a good balance. However, the closeness of Antonelli and Verstappen in FP2 demonstrates that the fight remains open. Mercedes showed one-lap speed and Red Bull arrives with the confidence given by its two consecutive victories.

The next step will be qualifying, where the teams will have to transform the data collected into competitive performance over one lap. In Austin, the combination of fast corners, elevation changes and demanding braking punishes mistakes and rewards those who achieve a balanced car. Ferrari has reasons to be excited, but Verstappen and Antonelli made clear that it will not be easy to keep them behind when the decisive moment arrives.