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F1 United States GP: Lewis Hamilton pips Max Verstappen in FP3
Motorsport.com • • general
Key Points:
- Lewis Hamilton topped the final practice session at the United States Grand Prix with a lap time of 1:34.893, becoming the only driver to break the 1m35s barrier in the last 20 minutes.
- Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc followed closely, with Verstappen setting a 1:35.061 and Leclerc 1:35.127, though Leclerc was hindered by track limits violations preventing him from taking the lead.
- Track limits were a significant issue throughout practice, affecting several top drivers including Leclerc, Antonelli, and Norris, who had lap times deleted for exceeding track boundaries.
- Championship leader Antonelli placed fourth, with George Russell fifth, indicating Mercedes is slightly behind Ferrari and Red Bull in pure pace; McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Audi's Nico Hulkenberg completed the top seven.
- The session set the stage for a competitive qualifying, with Hamilton, Verstappen, and Leclerc closely matched, and several drivers facing challenges with car handling and track limits ahead of Saturday's qualifying.
