Charles Leclerc made a strong start to the United States Grand Prix weekend by setting the fastest time in Friday’s opening practice session at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA). The Ferrari driver finished ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris in a competitive session in Austin, Texas.
Leclerc recorded a fastest lap of 1:36.052 to secure the top spot, finishing 0.084 seconds ahead of Verstappen, while Norris completed the top three. Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli followed in fourth and fifth, respectively, with Lewis Hamilton completing the top six for Ferrari.
The result provided an encouraging early indication of Ferrari’s pace as the team evaluated its latest upgrades ahead of Sunday’s race.
LECLERC GIVES FERRARI AN EARLY ADVANTAGE
The 60-minute session began at 12:30 p.m. local time on Friday, October 23, under clear Texas skies. Alpine’s Franco Colapinto was among the first drivers to take to the track, while Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Cadillac’s Colton Herta began their programmes with aerodynamic sensor equipment fitted to their cars.
Herta’s appearance was particularly noteworthy, as the American driver took over Sergio Perez’s Cadillac for the opening practice session.
Ferrari showed promising pace from the early running. Leclerc initially established himself near the top of the timesheets on medium tyres, setting a lap just 0.074 seconds faster than team-mate Hamilton.
The Scuderia arrived in Austin with aerodynamic upgrades as part of its ongoing development programme. The team was looking to extract additional performance from its SF-26, and Leclerc’s early pace offered an encouraging sign.
Mercedes, meanwhile, encountered some challenges during the opening stages. Russell reported a sudden increase in understeer and asked the team to check his front wing. Despite the issue, the British driver eventually climbed into the top five alongside team-mate Antonelli.
Verstappen also reported an unusual sensation through the steering while turning left, telling Red Bull that he could feel some kind of friction. However, the problem did not prevent the four-time world champion from challenging at the front.
VERSTAPPEN LOSES FASTEST LAP AFTER TRACK-LIMITS INFRINGEMENT
As the session passed its halfway point, teams began switching to soft tyres for faster qualifying-style runs.
Leclerc responded strongly, recording a 1:36.052 to establish the benchmark. Hamilton, however, struggled to match his team-mate after running wide onto a dusty section of the circuit, losing valuable time on his flying lap.
Verstappen subsequently threatened to take control of the session. The Red Bull driver recorded a 1:35.862, which initially put him at the top of the timesheets.
However, his lap was deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 19. The penalty dropped him back behind Leclerc, leaving the Ferrari driver at the top of the standings.
Track limits proved to be a recurring challenge throughout the session. Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson also lost lap times after exceeding the permitted track boundaries, highlighting the difficulty of finding the limit around COTA without running too wide.
With the leading drivers separated by fractions of a second, Ferrari’s early advantage was encouraging. Nevertheless, the opening practice results offered no guarantee that the team would maintain its advantage during qualifying.
MERCEDES STAYS CLOSE AS ANTONELLI CONTINUES HIS TITLE CAMPAIGN
Mercedes finished the session with both cars inside the top five, although neither driver managed to match Leclerc’s pace.
Russell secured fourth place with a 1:36.378, finishing 0.326 seconds behind the Ferrari driver. Antonelli followed in fifth with a 1:36.533, while Hamilton completed the top six with a 1:36.555.
Antonelli’s performance attracted additional attention because the young Italian entered the weekend with the possibility of securing his maiden Formula 1 world championship under the appropriate circumstances.
However, his fifth-place finish suggested that Mercedes still had work to do to find additional performance ahead of qualifying.
McLaren’s Norris finished third with a 1:36.297, just 0.245 seconds off the pace. His team-mate Oscar Piastri finished seventh with a 1:36.786, leaving both McLaren drivers within reach of the leading group.
Audi also enjoyed an encouraging opening session. Bortoleto delivered an impressive performance to finish eighth with a 1:36.995, placing ahead of both Racing Bulls drivers.
Arvid Lindblad secured ninth position, followed by Lawson in tenth, giving Racing Bulls two cars inside the top 10.
Haas driver Oliver Bearman finished 11th, ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll in 12th and 13th, respectively.
Hadjar finished 14th for Red Bull after losing time to track-limit infringements. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly took 15th, followed by Haas driver Esteban Ocon in 16th and Colapinto in 17th.
Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg finished 18th after reporting an unusual noise from his power unit during the session.
Carlos Sainz ended up 19th for Williams, ahead of Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas and Herta. Williams focused much of its early running on data collection before its drivers began recording timed laps.
Alexander Albon finished at the bottom of the classification after his timed effort was deleted.
UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX FP1 RESULTS
Circuit of The Americas — Friday, October 23, 2026
Source: Formula 1 practice classification.
FERRARI LOOKS TO MAINTAIN ITS MOMENTUM IN AUSTIN
Leclerc’s performance provided Ferrari with a positive foundation for the remainder of the United States Grand Prix weekend. However, the narrow gaps between the leading teams suggested that the battle at the front remained wide open.
Mercedes and Red Bull both demonstrated competitive pace, while McLaren remained close enough to challenge as teams continued refining their setups.
The opening practice session also provided valuable information about tyre performance, car balance and track conditions. With COTA’s combination of fast corners, heavy braking zones and significant elevation changes, finding the right setup will be crucial for both qualifying and the race.
Ferrari will now look to build on Leclerc’s encouraging start as the teams continue their preparations for Saturday’s qualifying session and Sunday’s 56-lap United States Grand Prix.
Author’s Note: Leclerc’s performance offers an encouraging sign for Ferrari, particularly with Verstappen and Norris finishing within a few tenths of the leading time. However, a single practice session is rarely enough to establish a clear picture of the competitive order. The real test will come during qualifying, when every team pushes its car closer to the limit.
What do you think? Can Leclerc convert Ferrari’s promising practice pace into pole position, or will Verstappen and McLaren strike back when it matters most? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Adhe is part of the 88 Eight Box Editorial Team, covering JDM culture, motorsport, automotive technology, and industry news. The team focuses on delivering original automotive stories, reviews, and insights for enthusiasts worldwide.
