US GP 2026: Leclerc fastest from Antonelli in practice
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc topped both Friday practice sessions at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, edging out Kimi Antonelli by 0.042 seconds.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Charles Leclerc topped both practice sessions in Austin on Friday.
- Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli finished second, 0.042 seconds behind.
- Red Bull's Max Verstappen claimed the third fastest time.
- Lando Norris made a mistake at Turn 16 and missed his qualifying simulation.
The Formula 1 United States Grand Prix weekend kicked off in Austin, Texas, on Friday, October 23, 2026, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc setting the pace by topping both practice sessions.
Leclerc finished just 0.042 seconds ahead of Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli. The young Italian driver enters this weekend with a mathematical chance of sealing his maiden Formula 1 world championship.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen was third fastest, 0.189 seconds off the pace, ahead of Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton in fourth place, though the seven-time champion trailed by 0.615 seconds. Mercedes driver George Russell and Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson rounded out the top six.
This weekend's race in Austin carries immense significance as Kimi Antonelli faces a mathematical opportunity to secure his first-ever world title. To achieve this milestone on Sunday, he must win the race while relying on specific results from his rivals, requiring Russell to finish lower than eighth and Hamilton lower than fourth. Meanwhile, top constructors like Mercedes and Ferrari are evaluating crucial upgrades, including a brand-new floor from Ferrari and reverted specifications from Mercedes, in an attempt to unlock maximum performance across three practice sessions.
McLaren's Lando Norris, whose team introduced the first of three planned upgrades for this weekend, ended up seventh fastest. The world champion failed to set a representative time on his soft-tyre qualifying simulation run after making an error at Turn 16.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Oscar Piastri of McLaren followed in eighth position, with Red Bull's Isack Hadjar in ninth and Haas driver Oliver Bearman rounding out the top ten. Antonelli stated his approach is simply to have fun this weekend while the championship equation plays out behind the scenes.
Source: BBC Sport
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