2026 F1 United States Grand Prix - Austin Free Practice 2 results

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc laid down an early marker at the Circuit of the Americas on Friday, topping the second free practice session for the 2026 United States Grand Prix with a lap of 1m35.291s. Leclerc swept both hour-long practice sessions in Austin, edging out Kimi Antonelli by just 0.042 seconds and Red Bull's Max Verstappen by 0.189 seconds. Lewis Hamilton rounded out the top four in the second Ferrari, finishing 0.615 seconds adrift of his teammate.

The 60-minute afternoon session unfolded under glorious weather conditions with ambient temperatures reaching 30 degrees Celsius and the track registering 43 degrees. Teams wrestled with the distinct demands of the Austin circuit, where a bumpy asphalt surface and a tricky mix of slow and fast corners complicated setup work across the paddock. While Leclerc and Ferrari maximized their running on hard and soft Pirelli compounds, rivals encountered mechanical gremlins, track limit infractions, and handling imbalances that left the pecking order behind the Monegasque driver intensely contested.

Early Drama and Mechanical Hurdles in the Austin Paddock

The session barely got underway before drivers encountered trouble. Max Verstappen and Red Bull teammate Liam Lawson experienced a close call at Turn 1 after the New Zealander failed to spot the Dutchman approaching. Antonelli, racing with a mathematical chance to secure his first world championship this weekend, was forced into the garage for nearly ten minutes while Mercedes mechanics wrestled with a loose driving position. My seat is moving all over the place, it’s not comfortable, Antonelli radioed the team before bringing his car in.

Mercedes teammate George Russell also drew the attention of race control. After Leclerc attempted to pass the Briton on the circuit, Russell appeared not to see the Ferrari and forced him off the track in an incident that measured in centimeters. Russell received the black and white flag as an official warning for blocking, though the stewards investigated the near-miss and ultimately let the Englishman off the hook without a penalty.

Setup Struggles at Red Bull and McLaren Off-Track Excursions

Max Verstappen finished third fastest with a lap of 1m35.480s on soft tyres, but the four-time world champion made it clear that Red Bull Racing still has significant ground to cover. Verstappen reported resistance in the steering during the opening session and continued to battle balance issues through the afternoon. It's never easy at this circuit to find a good compromise between the car's setup for the slow and fast corners, Verstappen said. The bumpy surface makes it even more difficult.

Behind the leading trio, McLaren endured a difficult afternoon as Lando Norris spun off the track at Turn 16 during a qualifying simulation, destroying a set of soft tyres and failing to set a representative time on that run. Teammate Oscar Piastri also went wide as McLaren fought for grip, leaving Norris seventh fastest overall. Williams fared little better, with Carlos Sainz reporting over the radio that he had zero confidence in the car's rear axle.

Grid Penalties Looming and Title Scenarios for Antonelli

• Gabriel Bortoleto: Audi driver facing a back-of-the-grid start, 20 places down.
• Franco Colapinto: Alpine driver set to drop 10 places on the grid.
• Unnamed Racing Bulls driver: Scheduled to start five places back following a new engine installation.

Beyond the immediate practice timesheets, the Austin weekend carries major championship implications for 20-year-old Kimi Antonelli. The Mercedes driver enters Sunday's race with his first mathematical opportunity to claim the world title. Under the parameters reported ahead of the event, Antonelli can secure the crown early only if he wins the grand prix, George Russell finishes below eighth, and Hamilton finishes below fourth.

Compounding the strategic headache for several teams, three drivers already know they will face grid demotions for Sunday's main event due to power unit component changes. With Ferrari bringing an upgraded floor to Austin—though Hamilton downplayed its potential impact as a very small change—the battle among Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull remains wide open as teams pivot toward Saturday's schedule.

Free Practice 3 is scheduled for Saturday at 12:30 local time, followed by Qualifying at 16:00, leading directly into Sunday's grand prix.