Charles Leclerc set the pace for Ferrari in Free Practice 2 at the 2026 FIA Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, edging Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli by just 0.042s, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen third as the leading trio finished within 0.189s of one another.

Leclerc clocked a fastest lap of 1:35.291 at the Circuit of The Americas, with Antonelli producing a 1:35.333 and Verstappen completing the top three in 1:35.480. Lewis Hamilton was fourth in the second Ferrari, while George Russell rounded out the top five for Mercedes.

With the green light signalling the start of the session, the drivers headed out for their opening runs, and Verstappen wasted little time getting involved in the action. The Red Bull driver briefly battled Liam Lawson on the pit exit before moving ahead through Turn 1.

Verstappen initially established the benchmark on the medium tyres with a 1:36.581, while the order continued to shift as the field completed its first runs on a mixture of compounds. Russell moved to the top with a 1:36.035 on the mediums, only for Verstappen to respond with a lap that put him back ahead.

Track limits proved a recurring issue around the demanding Austin circuit, with several drivers having lap times deleted. McLaren’s Lando Norris, who briefly topped the timesheets on the hard tyres, was among those pushing the limits, while Oscar Piastri locked up at Turn 12 during his early running.

Antonelli also encountered difficulties, reporting that his seat was moving significantly over the bumps. The Mercedes team made adjustments before sending the Italian back out.

As the session progressed, the leading drivers switched to the soft tyres for their qualifying simulations. Isack Hadjar was among the first to make the change, setting a 1:36.134 before reporting substantial front-tyre degradation at high speed.

Russell briefly moved to the top with a 1:35.793, but Verstappen responded with a 1:35.480, aided by a particularly strong middle sector. Leclerc then delivered the fastest lap of the session, stopping the clock at 1:35.291 to take first place.

Antonelli came close to matching the Ferrari driver, posting a 1:35.333 to slot into second, just 0.042s behind. Verstappen remained third, with Hamilton fourth on a 1:35.906 and Russell fifth in 1:36.035.

Further down the order, Lawson finished sixth, ahead of Norris and Piastri, while Hadjar secured ninth for Red Bull. Oliver Bearman completed the top ten for Haas.

The final part of the session saw teams switch their attention to longer runs, evaluating tyre performance and gathering data for Sunday’s race. Verstappen completed a longer stint on the softs, while Hadjar ran the mediums. McLaren also split its strategy, with Norris on the hard tyres and Piastri on the softs.

Tyre management appeared likely to be a significant consideration, with drivers reporting sliding and lock-ups as they pushed around the circuit. Hamilton, in particular, expressed difficulty keeping his Ferrari on track and sampled the hard compound in the closing stages.

Behind the leading teams, Alpine and Aston Martin appeared to face a more challenging session, while Williams endured a difficult afternoon. Carlos Sainz described his car as a mess, and Alexander Albon struggled to put together a clean lap.

FIA Formula 1 United States Grand Prix – Free Practice 2
1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:35.291 30 208.275
2 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:35.333 0.042 25 208.183
3 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Red Bull Ford 1:35.480 0.189 24 207.863
4 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:35.906 0.615 26 206.940
5 George Russell Mercedes 1:36.035 0.744 27 206.662
6 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Red Bull Ford 1:36.331 1.040 27 206.027
7 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:36.373 1.082 27 205.937
8 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:36.387 1.096 27 205.907
9 Isack Hadjar Red Bull/Red Bull Ford 1:36.411 1.120 24 205.856
10 Oliver Bearman Haas/Ferrari 1:36.536 1.245 28 205.589
11 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi 1:36.832 1.541 27 204.961
12 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Mercedes 1:36.840 1.549 27 204.944
13 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls/Red Bull Ford 1:36.959 1.668 29 204.692
14 Esteban Ocon Haas/Ferrari 1:37.111 1.820 26 204.372
15 Franco Colapinto Alpine/Mercedes 1:37.201 1.910 32 204.183
16 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Honda 1:37.235 1.944 26 204.111
17 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Honda 1:37.269 1.978 28 204.040
18 Nico Hülkenberg Audi 1:37.430 2.139 26 203.703
19 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac/Ferrari 1:38.422 3.131 24 201.650
20 Carlos Sainz Williams/Mercedes 1:38.446 3.155 28 201.600
21 Sergio Pérez Cadillac/Ferrari 1:39.036 3.745 24 200.399
22 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:43.426 8.135 27 191.893