During the United States Grand Prix qualifying session at the Circuit of The Americas, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli secured pole position. Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton qualified fourth and fifth respectively for Sunday’s race.
This outcome followed a significant performance drop-off for the Scuderia in the critical Q3 segment. Ferrari had demonstrated strong pace throughout the practice sessions, with Leclerc topping both Friday sessions and Hamilton leading the final practice on Saturday.
However, the team’s competitive edge diminished in the final qualifying phase. Hamilton attributed the performance gap to a recurring power deficit.
“We did a really good job overnight – the car felt really good in FP3, competitive. Then Q1 and Q2, both felt really strong, felt like we were right there in the fight. Then the car was just as good as it was we didn’t make any changes. It wasn’t that the car was flipped upside down or anything in Q3; it was a really good lap. But those guys just somehow took another step. I mean, ultimately, I think we’re a few tenths off on the straight, as we usually are.”
Hamilton specifically highlighted the one-kilometer straight between Turns 11 and 12 at COTA as a problematic area. The Circuit of The Americas, a 5.513 km track with 20 turns, features long straights that amplify power unit performance differences.
He stated that the power deficit to Red Bull and Mercedes remains significant. Ferrari’s car performs comparably through corners but loses time on the straights.
This straight-line speed disadvantage has been a consistent issue for Ferrari’s 2026 power unit throughout the current Formula 1 season. The FIA granted Ferrari “Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities” (ADUO) due to its internal combustion engine deficit.
Ferrari introduced an updated power unit at the Italian Grand Prix earlier in the season to address this. The 2026 regulations have also increased the importance of the electrical side of the power unit.
Reports indicated that Ferrari’s 2026 power unit project was considered an “emergency” due to internal conflicts and key personnel departures. The team reportedly started the season with a “rushed and not fully optimised ICE”.
Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur acknowledged the team’s potential but dismissed changing wind conditions during Q3 as a primary factor.
“I think the potential was there all over the weekend. We had a good pace in all the free practice, and until the last corner, we were fighting for the pole, and well, it’s part of the game. I think Q2 was a bit faster for everybody, and we all struggled to improve in Q3, perhaps a bit of wind or whatever, and it’s also a distraction for the drivers, but it’s the same for everybody. We can’t complain about the wind; this would be bullshit. I think we have to do a better job on the last lap because we had the potential to be at least on the first row.”
The final qualifying results for the 2026 United States Grand Prix saw Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) take pole position with a time of 1:34.035s.
Max Verstappen (Red Bull) secured second place, followed by Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) in third.
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) qualified fourth, ahead of his teammate Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) in fifth.
George Russell (Mercedes) placed sixth, with Oscar Piastri (McLaren) in seventh. Lando Norris (McLaren) qualified eighth after a track limits penalty.
Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) will start ninth, benefiting from a five-place grid penalty for Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls), who originally qualified ninth. Several other drivers also incurred penalties for engine component changes.
