Leclerc Tops First Practice at the US Grand Prix in Austin as Three Drivers Take Grid Penalties

Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in first practice for the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin on Friday, giving Ferrari the early edge on a weekend that also brought grid penalties for three drivers before qualifying has even begun.

Leclerc lapped in 1 minute 36.052 seconds, 0.084 seconds quicker than Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, who arrived in Austin on the back of consecutive victories. Lando Norris was third for McLaren, 0.245 seconds off Leclerc.

George Russell was fourth for Mercedes, 0.326 seconds back, and his teammate Kimi Antonelli completed the top five, 0.481 seconds off the lead. Lewis Hamilton placed sixth in the second Ferrari, ahead of McLaren driver Oscar Piastri in seventh. Audi driver Gabriel Bortoleto was eighth, with Racing Bulls pair Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson completing the top 10.

The hardest session belonged to Williams driver Alex Albon. He was classified 22nd and last after failing to set a representative lap time, with three separate track limits infringements wiping out his best efforts. His quickest recorded time was more than 31 seconds off the pace Leclerc set at the top.

Three drivers take grid penalties

The FIA confirmed during the opening practice session that Bortoleto, Colapinto and Lindblad will all drop places on the grid for the race on Sunday after exceeding their permitted power unit component allocations for the season.

Bortoleto took the largest penalty. Audi fitted his car with a fourth energy store unit and a fourth control electronics unit of the year, past the permitted limit for both, and the combined 20 place drop means he is likely to start at the back of the grid. His car also received a replacement engine, turbocharger, exhaust set and power unit ancillary component, all within the allocation, so those parts added no further penalty.

Colapinto will lose 10 positions from his qualifying result after Alpine fitted a fourth control electronics unit to his car. Lindblad will take a five place penalty after Racing Bulls installed his sixth internal combustion engine of the season, against an allowance of four. Lindblad started at the back of the grid in Malaysia when his team fitted his fifth engine there earlier this year.

Under the regulations, the first time a driver exceeds the allocation for any power unit element, a 10 place grid penalty applies. A second breach of the same kind draws five places, penalties at the same event add together, and any driver whose total penalty passes 15 places must start at the back of the field.

What comes next in Austin

Second practice follows at 4 p.m. local time on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. Qualifying is at 4 p.m. local time on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, and the United States Grand Prix race starts at 3 p.m. local time on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, at the Circuit of The Americas.

Leclerc's time gives Ferrari an encouraging first reference point for the weekend, but Verstappen's narrow gap in second shows Red Bull is close, and both Mercedes cars inside the top five point to a tight fight when qualifying arrives on Saturday.