Max Verstappen Sets the Pace in Lone Practice Session for United States GP
Austin, Texas – Max Verstappen showcased his speed and skill as he led the pack in the one and only practice session for this weekend’s United States Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver outperformed rivals Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton in an intense hour of running at the Circuit of the Americas.
With only 60 minutes on the clock for the drivers to finalize their setups, they wasted no time in getting up to speed under warm conditions. This session was crucial for them to gather valuable data ahead of qualifying later today.
Hamilton took an early lead after 20 minutes, clocking a time of 1m 37.394s on the hard tires. He edged out Verstappen by a slim margin of 0.104s, showcasing the capabilities of Mercedes’ updated floor on the W14.
Aston Martin faced some challenges in FP1, with Lance Stroll forced to pit due to brake issues. Fernando Alonso also had to undergo precautionary checks. Stroll’s session came to an end early, while Lando Norris set the fastest lap time.
The American-inspired liveries of Logan Sargeant and Alex Albon added some vibrancy to the track as they embarked on qualifying simulations. Red Bull’s Verstappen, sporting a colorful livery as well, demonstrated the RB19’s speed and secured the top spot with a time of 1m 35.912s. Leclerc trailed behind in second, 0.156s adrift.
Hamilton showed promise in the first two sectors but made a mistake at the penultimate corner, settling for third place. Sergio Perez, representing Red Bull, clinched fourth, while Kevin Magnussen of Haas impressed in fifth with major upgrades to their car.
George Russell in the other Mercedes secured sixth place, followed by Albon in seventh. Carlos Sainz piloted his Ferrari to eighth place, with Nico Hulkenberg and Pierre Gasly completing the top 10 for Haas and Alpine, respectively.
Local favorite Logan Sargeant secured 11th place for Williams, with Esteban Ocon in 12th for Alpine. Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo followed close behind for AlphaTauri, while McLaren’s Norris finished in 15th place.
Both Norris and Oscar Piastri didn’t use the soft tires for their runs, with Norris finishing in 15th and Piastri in 19th. Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas donned the softs and secured 16th and 17th places, respectively. Alonso, despite carrying on, finished 18th, while Stroll trailed at the back of the field.
With the lone practice session completed, the drivers and their teams now shift their focus to qualifying for the United States Grand Prix, slated for later today at 1600 local time.