Lewis Hamilton secured the fastest time in the final practice session for the 2026 United States Grand Prix in Austin. The Ferrari driver posted a 1:34.893 lap, leading Max Verstappen and teammate Charles Leclerc. Track limits emerged as a significant factor, with numerous lap times deleted throughout the practice sessions.
Hamilton’s performance marked a notable improvement after a challenging Friday. Verstappen, driving for Red Bull, finished 0.168 seconds behind. Leclerc, who topped both Friday practice sessions, had a faster lap deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 9.
The top ten classification for FP3 at the Circuit of The Americas was as follows:
1. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) 1:34.893
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.168s
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.234s
4. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +0.303s
5. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.488s
6. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.638s
7. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) +0.698s
8. Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.813s
9. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +1.011s
10. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) +1.037s
Track limits proved a significant issue, with 207 lap times deleted across Friday’s FP1 and FP2 sessions. The FIA race director, Rui Marques, responded by widening the white lines at the exits of Turns 12, 15, and 20.
Despite these adjustments, drivers continued to incur penalties, particularly at Turns 9 and 10. Kimi Antonelli, who also had a faster lap deleted at Turn 9 in FP3, leads the season with 105 track-limits violations.
Antonelli attributed the persistent problem to the Circuit of The Americas’ layout, including elevation changes and wind conditions. He also cited the grippy green tarmac run-off areas as a factor encouraging drivers to push beyond the white lines.
Ferrari demonstrated strong form throughout practice, securing a clean sweep of all three sessions. The team is running an aerodynamic upgrade package at COTA.
The Ferrari power unit began the 2026 season with a less optimised Internal Combustion Engine, reportedly producing 30 horsepower less than Mercedes. This deficit qualified them for ADUO upgrades, with a second power unit upgrade introduced at the Italian Grand Prix focusing on a turbocharger redesign.
Max Verstappen’s second-place finish came despite ongoing complaints about his Red Bull car’s gear shifts. Verstappen employs an aggressive downshift technique for battery charging, a method not utilised by Mercedes or Ferrari.
This technique, while effective for energy recovery, carries potential drawbacks such as increased gearbox wear and accelerated tyre degradation. Verstappen has a documented history of expressing frustration with gear shift performance.
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli has a mathematical opportunity to secure the championship this weekend. Mercedes is running upgrades on both cars, which were first introduced at the Malaysian Grand Prix.
McLaren experienced difficulties with one-lap pace during practice, though Lando Norris showed solid performance on long runs. The MCL40 car possesses fundamental handling characteristics that team principal Andrea Stella states cannot be fully resolved until 2027.
The MCL40 demands an aggressive driving style, which Norris described as being ‘on a knife edge.’ McLaren has introduced upgrades at Austin, with initial assessments indicating positive performance gains despite the practice results.
The Circuit of The Americas is a 5.513km, 20-turn anti-clockwise track known for its high-speed sections and elevation changes. A section between Turns 9 and 11 was resurfaced earlier this year.
The FIA also carried out asphalt grinding at Turn 19 to address circuit bumpiness, a concern raised by drivers such as Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto. Track ageing across other parts of the circuit contributes to high wear levels.
Pirelli has supplied the C2 (Hard), C3 (Medium), and C4 (Soft) compounds for the Grand Prix. This selection reverts to a more conventional range after the C1 compound was largely unused in 2025.
Pirelli anticipates a one-stop race strategy, though high ambient temperatures could increase tyre degradation, potentially leading to alternative approaches. COTA’s layout places significant stress on both front and rear tyres.
Qualifying for the United States Grand Prix is scheduled to commence at 16:00 local time in Austin. Historically, 11 of the 13 races at COTA have been won by a driver starting on the front row.
