Charles Leclerc recorded the fastest time during the opening practice session for the 2026 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin. The Ferrari driver posted a 1:36.052 lap.
Max Verstappen, driving for Red Bull, secured the second-fastest time, 0.084 seconds behind Leclerc. McLaren’s Lando Norris finished third, 0.245 seconds off the pace.
Ferrari introduced its final major aerodynamic upgrade package of the 2026 season in Austin. The SF-26 features a revised floor body, floor board, sidepod inlet, and diffuser.
These modifications aim to enhance downforce, improve aerodynamic stability, and optimise tyre management. The objective is to provide a more predictable car with a broader operating window.
Leclerc utilised the new upgrade package during FP1, while teammate Lewis Hamilton ran the previous specification for comparative data. Hamilton had previously downplayed the upgrade’s potential impact.
Red Bull arrived with a new front wing for the RB22, featuring an additional vane on the endplate and footplate. This is designed to generate extra load and assist with tyre surface temperature management.
A revised front corner on the RB22 addresses reliability concerns. Verstappen enters the weekend following consecutive victories in Malaysia and Singapore.
McLaren’s MCL40 received modest upgrades, including floor changes and modifications to the braking system. These updates target braking reliability and performance issues.
The team also intends for these developments to inform the design of their 2027 challenger. Mercedes, conversely, declared no new updates for their W17 car this weekend.
Both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli are running the latest specification of the Mercedes W17. This follows a comparison test conducted during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend.
At the conclusion of the session, the FIA conducted a test of its upgraded software for wet weather operations. This is a permanent fix addressing power unit problems encountered in Malaysia and Singapore.
A software bug had previously caused irreversible power loss in low-speed wet conditions during formation laps, leading to race delays. The updated software aims to prevent a recurrence of these issues.
Several drivers will incur grid penalties for Sunday’s race. Arvid Lindblad of Racing Bulls faces a five-place grid drop for taking a sixth internal combustion engine.
Gabriel Bortoleto, driving for Audi, will likely start from the back of the grid due to a 20-place penalty. This follows the installation of a completely new power unit, including a fourth energy store and control electronics.
Franco Colapinto of Alpine received a 10-place grid penalty for using a fourth control electronics component.
Kimi Antonelli leads the 2026 Drivers’ Championship by 102 points over George Russell. Antonelli can secure the title in Austin if he wins the race, Russell finishes ninth or lower, and Hamilton finishes fifth or lower.
Colton Herta participated in FP1 for Cadillac, replacing Sergio Perez. This marks Herta’s fourth FP1 outing of the season, having previously driven in Barcelona, Budapest, and Monza.
Cadillac also introduced minor floor and cooling upgrades for evaluation. Gabriel Bortoleto drove for Audi, with his car fitted with aero rakes for data collection.
The Circuit of The Americas is known for its challenging characteristics, including significant bumps and a combination of high-speed sweeping corners and tight, low-speed sections.
The full FP1 classification is as follows:
1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 1:36.052
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.084s
3. Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.245s
4. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.326s
5. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +0.481s
6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.503s
7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.734s
8. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) +0.943s
9. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) +1.011s
10. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) +1.257s
11. Oliver Bearman (Haas) +1.613s
12. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +1.636s
13. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +1.731s
14. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) +1.738s
15. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +1.749s
16. Esteban Ocon (Haas) +1.844s
17. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) +2.069s
18. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) +2.070s
19. Carlos Sainz (Williams) +2.794s
20. Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) +3.001s
21. Colton Herta (Cadillac) +3.927s
22. Alex Albon (Williams) +31.812s (No representative time)
