F1 United States GP: Leclerc pips Antonelli to top FP2 while McLaren struggles
Ferrari’s new aerodynamic package helped Leclerc edge Kimi Antonelli by 0.042 seconds as McLaren struggled for grip on a bumpy circuit.
- On Friday, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc set the fastest lap of 1:35.291 in second practice at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, narrowly edging Mercedes championship leader Kimi Antonelli by 0.042 seconds with Red Bull's Max Verstappen third.
- Ferrari's strong showing followed the introduction of significant aerodynamic upgrades including a new floor and reshaped bodywork, though teams battled the bumpy Circuit of the Americas surface with frequent track limits deletions throughout the session.
- McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finished seventh and eighth, struggling with low grip in the final sector; Norris described his car as a "bucking bronco" due to handling difficulties, leaving the team scrambling for setup solutions.
- Championship leader Antonelli must win Sunday's race to secure the title, while Arvid Lindblad, Franco Colapinto, and Gabriel Bortoleto face grid penalties—five, ten, and twenty places respectively—for exceeding internal combustion engine limits.
- Teams continue refining setups ahead of Saturday's qualifying session, with drivers focusing on long-run simulations to address the track's tyre wear and grip challenges; qualifying begins Sunday at 10am.
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86 Articles
Team at work on the Texan circuit
Leclerc tops times in practice
Charles Leclerc completed a double top for Ferrari on Friday when he led the times ahead of Mercedes' championship leader Kimi Antonelli in second practice for this weekend's United States Grand Prix. The 29-year-old Monegasque father-to-be, who won in Austin two years ago, clocked a best lap in one minute and 35.291 seconds to outpace the 20-year-old Italian by 0.042 seconds with four-time champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull 0.189 seconds adrif…
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has set the pace for the USA Formula 1 Grand Prix in his free practice. Monegasse was the best time in both sessions on Friday. World Cup top rider Kimi Antonelli started cautiously, but missed the best time of the day only by 42 thousandths at the start of his possible World Champion crown. In each case, the resurgent Red Bull star Max Verstappen had only a small backlog as second and third.
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) re-marked the reference time in the second free trainings of the United States Grand Prix (1.35.291) and consolidated the credentials of the Italian squire to fight for victory and thus curb the dominance of Mercedes and the impetus of a racked Max Verstappen. Monegasque continued to collect information ... Continue reading "Leclerc consolidated Ferrari improvements with 'doublet' in Frees 2 of the United States GP in F…
Leclerc had already scored the fastest turn in the first rehearsals on the Austin Circuit of the Americas (Texas). Antonelli, who was fifth in the first batch, climbed performances to the end of 0.042sec from Leclerc. The 20-year-old Italian heats up engines for his first chance to win Formula 1 champion, for which he needs to win Sunday’s race and expect other favorable results. Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull), winner of the last tests in Ba…
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