Leclerc Completes Friday Practice Double at US Grand Prix in Austin

Charles Leclerc ended Friday at the United States Grand Prix as the fastest driver in both practice sessions. The Ferrari driver set the best time of second practice at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, a lap of 1 minute 35.291 seconds on soft tyres, after he had already topped first practice earlier in the day with 1 minute 36.052 seconds.

Antonelli and Verstappen closest

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was second in second practice, 0.042 seconds behind Leclerc with a lap of 1 minute 35.333 seconds. Antonelli set that time after a loose seat in his Mercedes had disrupted his early running in the session. Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull, 0.189 seconds off Leclerc with a lap of 1 minute 35.480 seconds.

Lewis Hamilton was fourth for Ferrari with 1 minute 35.906 seconds. George Russell was fifth for Mercedes, Liam Lawson sixth for Racing Bulls, Lando Norris seventh for McLaren and Oscar Piastri eighth for McLaren. Isack Hadjar was ninth for Red Bull and Oliver Bearman completed the top ten for Haas.

Track limits and a stewards' inquiry

Several drivers lost laps to track limits. Russell had a lap deleted for track limits and had a snap of oversteer on his quickest run. Norris set his quickest time of the session on hard tyres after a mistake at Turn 15 spoiled his soft tyre attempt, and Piastri lost his fastest lap to a track limits breach.

The stewards also investigated an incident in which Russell appeared to force Leclerc wide off the track during the session. Hadjar, meanwhile, made his feelings clear on team radio about the balance of his Red Bull and its high speed tyre degradation. "That's disgusting," he said.

Second practice ran in hot and sunny conditions in Austin, with track temperatures reaching 41 degrees Celsius and air temperatures just below 30 degrees Celsius.

Title storyline for Sunday

Antonelli arrived in Austin as the championship leader, and Reuters reported after first practice that he can become the youngest Formula One champion in history if he wins Sunday's race and other results go his way. Practice times rarely settle a championship fight, but Leclerc's double on Friday gives Ferrari the early marker at a circuit where the title leader needs a clean weekend.

The weekend continues on Saturday, Oct. 24 with third practice and qualifying. The United States Grand Prix race is on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 3:00 p.m. CDT in Austin.