By: After a week off, Formula 1 finally returned to the track to begin the Austin weekend, the first round of a new triple-header to be held entirely on the American continent.
The opening free practice session has just concluded, with teams following different run plans from the outset. Audi, among them, took to the track with so-called aerodynamic rakes, tools used to gather data on airflow behaviour around the car.
In the early stages, Charles Leclerc set the benchmark with a 1:39.152 on medium tyres. His team-mate Lewis Hamilton then moved into second before reigning world champion Lando Norris went quickest with a 1:38.715 lap.
Max Verstappen, meanwhile, reported some difficulty turning the steering wheel to his pit wall over the radio, although he encountered no further issues during the session.
With 49 minutes remaining, Hamilton returned to the track and set the fastest time of 1:37.230. This sparked a close intra-team battle at Ferrari, with Leclerc lowering the benchmark by around four tenths of a second as he crossed the line on his next lap.
Once the session had passed the half-hour mark, the drivers fitted soft tyres to begin their qualifying simulations. Leclerc then set the fastest time of 1:36.052, but Verstappen’s response was immediate: the Red Bull driver went as quick as 1:35.860. However, his lap was deleted by race control for exceeding track limits, handing top spot back to the Monegasque driver.
During the final minutes, the FIA, in agreement with all 11 teams, then decided to test the "low-grip" mode in order to resolve all the issues that emerged during the Sepang and Singapore weekends because of rain.
Looking at the standings, Charles Leclerc was therefore fastest in FP1 with a 1:36.052, followed by Max Verstappen on a 1:36.136, just 84 thousandths behind, and third overall with a 1:36.297. Kimi Antonelli, who will already have his first championship match point on Sunday, finished only eighth. Below is the full classification for the session.
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