Lewis Hamilton topped the timesheets in the final practice session for the 2026 FIA Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, leading Max Verstappen and Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc in a closely-matched hour at the Circuit of The Americas.

Hamilton posted a fastest lap of 1:34.893 to finish 0.168 seconds clear of Verstappen, with Leclerc completing the top three after having a quicker effort deleted for exceeding track limits. Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell finished fourth and fifth respectively, underlining the team's potential ahead of qualifying.

The session began with limited activity as several drivers waited before leaving the pits to conserve their tyre allocation. Sergio Pérez was among the first on track, setting an initial benchmark of 1:39.880 on the hard compound. Pierre Gasly subsequently moved to the top with a 1:37.592 on mediums before Hamilton, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri began to improve the pace.

Verstappen then established himself at the front with a 1:35.702 on medium tyres, ahead of Hamilton's first representative soft-tyre effort. The Ferrari driver continued to improve as the session progressed, while Leclerc initially struggled to complete a clean lap.

Track limits at Turn 12 disrupted several attempts, with Norris and Leclerc among those to lose lap times. The challenge intensified when the drivers switched to fresh soft tyres for their final runs, with Turn 9 also proving a frequent source of deleted laps.

Antonelli briefly appeared to have taken control after producing a 1:35.015, but his effort was subsequently deleted after he ran wide at Turn 9. Hamilton then set the fastest time of the session with a 1:34.893, having managed his tyres carefully through the opening sector to preserve grip for the final part of the lap.

Leclerc also looked capable of challenging for the top position, but his 1:34.810 effort was deleted. His official best remained a 1:35.127, leaving him third behind Hamilton and Verstappen.

Verstappen finished second on a 1:35.061, but the Red Bull driver appeared frustrated at times, reporting difficulties with downshifts before a lock-up at Turn 15 interrupted a later attempt. He also encountered handling difficulties, suggesting there may be further work for the team before qualifying.

Antonelli ultimately finished fourth on a 1:35.196, with Russell fifth in 1:35.381. Piastri placed sixth for McLaren, ahead of Nico Hülkenberg, while Norris was eighth after losing time through track-limit infringements.

Gasly and Isack Hadjar completed the top 10, with Liam Lawson just behind in 11th. Hülkenberg's seventh-place finish put both Audi and McLaren in the mix, while Alpine also showed improved one-lap pace compared with earlier running.

Further down the order, Gabriel Bortoleto finished 13th, ahead of Oliver Bearman and Franco Colapinto. Fernando Alonso was 16th, while Pérez and Valtteri Bottas occupied the final two positions for Cadillac.

2026 FIA Formula 1 United States Grand Prix – Free Practice 3 
1 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:34.893 21 209.149
2 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Red Bull Ford 1:35.061 0.168 16 208.779
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:35.127 0.234 20 208.634
4 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:35.196 0.303 16 208.483
5 George Russell Mercedes 1:35.381 0.488 18 208.079
6 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:35.531 0.638 16 207.752
7 Nico Hülkenberg Audi 1:35.591 0.698 19 207.622
8 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:35.706 0.813 17 207.372
9 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Mercedes 1:35.904 1.011 24 206.944
10 Isack Hadjar Red Bull/Red Bull Ford 1:35.930 1.037 20 206.888
11 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Red Bull Ford 1:35.931 1.038 17 206.886
12 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls/Red Bull Ford 1:36.081 1.188 18 206.563
13 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi 1:36.176 1.283 23 206.359
14 Oliver Bearman Haas/Ferrari 1:36.235 1.342 17 206.232
15 Franco Colapinto Alpine/Mercedes 1:36.251 1.358 22 206.198
16 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Honda 1:36.455 1.562 19 205.762
17 Esteban Ocon Haas/Ferrari 1:36.742 1.849 18 205.151
18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Honda 1:37.131 2.238 12 204.330
19 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:37.668 2.775 22 203.206
20 Carlos Sainz Williams/Mercedes 1:37.711 2.818 21 203.117
21 Sergio Pérez Cadillac/Ferrari 1:37.884 2.991 25 202.758
22 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac/Ferrari 1:38.765 3.872 22 200.94