AI Image
F1 United States GP: Leclerc beats Verstappen to top FP1 in upgraded Ferrari
Autosport • • general
Key Points:
- Ferrari's Charles Leclerc topped the first practice session at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, narrowly beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by 0.084 seconds with a time of 1m36.052s on soft tyres.
- Ferrari introduced its latest 2026 aerodynamic upgrades, including changes to the floor, bargeboard, sidepod, and diffuser, which contributed to their strong performance despite the team describing the update as a minor improvement.
- Max Verstappen's Red Bull featured an updated front wing and showed strong pace, particularly in the first sector and the fast Esses, but a potential fastest lap was invalidated due to track limits.
- McLaren's Lando Norris secured third place in the session, followed by Mercedes drivers George Russell and World Champion-elect Kimi Antonelli, while Lewis Hamilton finished sixth.
- Rookie Colton Herta took part in practice for Cadillac, aiming to gain FIA superlicence points, while Williams driver Alex Albon did not set a competitive lap as his team focused on aero testing for 2027 development.
