Ferrari made a promising start to the 2026 United States Grand Prix as Charles Leclerc topped the opening free practice session at the Circuit of The Americas.
The Monegasque driver recorded a fastest lap of 1:36.052, finishing just 0.084 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull.
It was an encouraging result for the Maranello-based team, which arrived in Texas with a substantial aerodynamic upgrade package designed to improve the competitiveness of the SF-26.
Behind the leading pair, Lando Norris finished third for McLaren, followed by George Russell in the Mercedes. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli secured fifth position, while Lewis Hamilton completed the session in sixth, approximately half a second behind his Ferrari teammate.
The opening hour of running provided several interesting indications, although the narrow margins and different testing programmes mean the competitive order remains uncertain ahead of the remaining sessions.
Leclerc Puts Ferrari on Top in Austin
Friday’s action began in the best possible way for Charles Leclerc.
The Ferrari driver used the opening practice session to evaluate the performance of the updated SF-26, eventually setting the fastest lap of the session.
His 1:36.052 was enough to keep Verstappen behind, although the gap between the two drivers was less than a tenth of a second.
The result was particularly encouraging given Ferrari’s recent efforts to improve the car’s overall performance.
The Italian team introduced aerodynamic modifications in Austin, particularly around the floor and diffuser, two crucial areas for generating downforce.
The objective is to improve performance across different types of corners without sacrificing too much straight-line speed.
The Circuit of The Americas provides an important test of these developments, featuring a combination of high-speed corners, rapid changes of direction and slower technical sections.
Leclerc’s fastest time therefore represents a positive initial indication, although the remaining sessions will determine whether the improvements translate into a genuine advantage in qualifying and the race.
Verstappen Just 0.084 Seconds Behind as Red Bull Remains Competitive
Max Verstappen finished FP1 in second place, only 84 thousandths of a second behind Leclerc.
The four-time world champion arrived in the United States following consecutive victories in Malaysia and Singapore, results that confirmed Red Bull’s progress during the second half of the season.
His narrow deficit to Ferrari suggests that the RB22 will once again be a serious contender for the leading positions.
Verstappen has an impressive record at the Circuit of The Americas, having secured several victories at the Texas venue in previous seasons.
Red Bull will nevertheless need to assess the car’s race pace and tyre management, both particularly important factors at the demanding Austin circuit.
For now, the battle between Ferrari and Red Bull appears extremely close.
Norris Third as Mercedes Places Russell and Antonelli in the Top Five
Lando Norris secured third position for McLaren, finishing behind Leclerc and Verstappen.
The reigning world champion was followed by the Mercedes pairing of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, who completed the top five.
For the Brackley-based team, the American weekend represents another opportunity to evaluate technical developments introduced during recent races.
Mercedes has confirmed that both cars are running its latest aerodynamic configuration following the difficulties encountered at previous events.
Antonelli arrived in Austin leading the Drivers’ Championship by 102 points over teammate Russell.
The young Italian also has a mathematical opportunity to secure the world title at the United States Grand Prix, although doing so would require a favourable result and significant points losses for his closest rivals.
His fifth-place finish in FP1 does not necessarily reflect Mercedes’ full potential, particularly as the session was also used to collect data on the team’s latest upgrades.
Hamilton Sixth as Ferrari Looks for Race-Pace Improvements
Lewis Hamilton ended the opening session in sixth position, approximately half a second behind Leclerc.
The seven-time world champion contributed to Ferrari’s data-gathering programme as the team worked to understand the behaviour of its new aerodynamic components.
The gap to his teammate suggests that Hamilton still has room to improve over a single lap, although the opening practice results are not sufficient to draw firm conclusions about his prospects for the weekend.
Ferrari’s main priority will be to establish whether the speed demonstrated by Leclerc can also be maintained during longer runs with higher fuel loads.
Tyre degradation will be a crucial factor in Sunday’s race, given the characteristics of the Austin circuit and the numerous corners that place significant demands on the tyres.
United States Grand Prix 2026: FP1 Top Six
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:36.052 |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.084 |
| 3 | Lando Norris | McLaren | — |
| 4 | George Russell | Mercedes | — |
| 5 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | — |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | Approx. +0.5 |
Gaps not shown were unavailable in the source results used for this report.
Ferrari Seeks Confirmation in the Remaining Austin Sessions
The United States Grand Prix marks the 18th round of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship.
After a period in which Red Bull and Mercedes demonstrated strong competitiveness, Ferrari is hoping that its Austin upgrades will help the team return to regularly challenging at the front.
Leclerc’s fastest lap represents a promising start, but the tiny margin over Verstappen highlights just how closely matched the leading contenders remain.
McLaren and Mercedes are also firmly in contention, with Norris, Russell and Antonelli immediately behind the leading pair.
The weekend will continue with FP2, which will provide further opportunities to evaluate race pace and refine the cars’ setups.
Saturday’s qualifying session should offer a clearer picture of the competitive order ahead of Sunday’s race on October 25.
For Ferrari, the opening signs are encouraging: Leclerc has set the pace in Austin, and the updated SF-26 has begun the United States Grand Prix weekend at the top of the timesheets.