Charles Leclerc tops first US GP practice in upgraded Ferrari

Charles Leclerc set the pace in opening practice at the United States Grand Prix in Ferrari’s upgraded Formula 1 car. 

Leclerc was fastest on both medium and soft tyres as he ended up 0.084 seconds clear of Max Verstappen, who has won the last two F1 races in Malaysia in Singapore for a resurgent Red Bull. 

McLaren’s Lando Norris was third fastest, 0.245s behind Leclerc, ahead of the Mercedes pair of George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who can win his maiden F1 world title this weekend at COTA. 

Lewis Hamilton seemed less comfortable than Leclerc in his Ferrari and had several wide moments as he struggled to put a representative lap time together on the soft tyre and ended up half a second adrift in sixth.

F1 US Grand Prix: Full Friday practice results at COTA

Oscar Piastri was seventh-fastest in the other McLaren, ahead of Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto and the Racing Bulls of Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson, who completed the top-10. 

Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll took 12th and 13th in a much-better showing from Aston Martin. 

The Williams and Cadillacs made up the bottom four positions in the timesheet, with Carlos Sainz (19th) and Alex Albon (22nd) largely spending FP1 conducting an aero testing programme to assist with the development of both this year’s car and next season’s FW50. 

Sainz and Albon were separated by Valtteri Bottas and American driver Colton Herta, who was making his fourth FP1 appearance of the season for Cadillac.

The US-based outfit has brought an upgrade package for its home race this weekend. 

Antonelli arrives in Austin 102 points ahead of team-mate Russell but needs to win Sunday’s race, and hope that Lewis Hamilton finishes fifth or lower, with Russell ninth or lower, in order to clinch the world championship.

Should he do so, Antonelli would create history by becoming F1’s youngest-ever world champion.