Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen set the early pace during Friday’s opening practice session at the Circuit of the Americas, launching the 2026 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix weekend. Leclerc posted the session’s fastest lap at 1:36.052 in his Ferrari, edging Verstappen by just 0.084 seconds after the Red Bull driver lost a quicker lap to a track-limits penalty. The session opened a critical three-race American swing that will shape the closing rounds of the world championship.
Ferrari and Red Bull Trade Blows in Opening Practice at COTA
Ferrari arrived in Texas with a fresh batch of car upgrades, and the initial running immediately rewarded Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque driver looked comfortable from his first installation lap around the Austin circuit. Max Verstappen, chasing a third victory after recent wins in Malaysia and Singapore, initially battled steering complaints in his Red Bull before clicking into rhythm on soft tyres. Verstappen’s best effort of 1:35.850 would have topped the timesheets, but race stewards deleted the lap time for exceeding track limits at Turn 12, handing the provisional top spot back to Leclerc. McLaren’s Lando Norris slotted into third place, finishing 0.245 seconds off the pace as front-running teams tested their latest aerodynamic packages.
Mercedes Adjusts While Alonso Finds Steady Footing
Mercedes endured a quieter opening hour in Texas, with George Russell taking fourth and Kimi Antonelli finishing fifth, nearly half a second behind Leclerc. The Brackley squad began the session running hard compound tyres rather than chasing early headline times. Further down the order, Fernando Alonso provided a rare bright spot for Aston Martin by placing twelfth with a 1:37.688, closely shadowed by teammate Lance Stroll in thirteenth. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz faced an uphill battle in nineteenth position for Williams, trailing the pacesetter by 2.7 seconds as the team gathered data on experimental setups.
Charles Leclerc is quickest in FP1 in the United States 😮💨The Ferrari driver leads the way for the first hour 👀#F1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/OrPHpHwm9A
Hamilton Struggles with Oversteer as Bortoleto Impresses
Lewis Hamilton struggled with oversteer in his Ferrari, finishing sixth and more than half a second adrift of Leclerc. Oscar Piastri took seventh in the second McLaren, while Gabriel Bortoleto delivered an eye-catching eighth-fastest time for Audi. At the rear of the field, Alexander Albon failed to register a timed lap for Williams, sharing the bottom of the timing screens alongside Colton Herta, who stepped in to drive the Cadillac entry for Checo Pérez during the morning running.
Teams Prepare for Second Practice Under Texas Lights
Teams turned their attention toward the second practice session, scheduled for 23:00 local time, seeking a truer representative baseline for qualifying pace and long-run race simulations. While Ferrari and Red Bull established the early benchmark, fluctuating track temperatures and tire degradation figures left the ultimate pecking order unresolved as Friday evening approached.
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