Leclerc tops both Austin practice sessions but urges Ferrari to keep expectations in check

Charles Leclerc gave Ferrari an encouraging start to the United States Grand Prix weekend by topping both Friday practice sessions. The Monegasque driver led the way at the Circuit of The Americas in the opening hour and repeated that performance in FP2, with little separating the leading contenders.

Leclerc posted a 1:36.052 in first practice to beat Max Verstappen by 0.084 seconds, while Lando Norris completed the top three. He improved to a 1:35.291 in the second session, when Kimi Antonelli emerged as his closest challenger. The Mercedes driver finished just 0.042 seconds behind, with Verstappen third, 0.189 seconds off the benchmark.

Ferrari’s promising start comes alongside changes to the floor, sidepod inlets and diffuser. Leclerc nevertheless played down suggestions of a major performance leap. His assessment was that the package delivered what Ferrari expected, while the car’s balance and a productive starting set-up also contributed to the strong results. He believes Antonelli and Verstappen still have performance to unlock.

Team Principal Frederic Vasseur was similarly cautious. Friday’s order offers no guarantee of the same outcome in qualifying, particularly with such small margins between the front-running teams. Fine adjustments and the execution of a single flying lap could change the competitive picture.

For Leclerc, the key positive is that Ferrari looked competitive from the beginning of the weekend. Leading two sessions provides a useful foundation, but the decisive test comes when rivals complete their preparations and track position is at stake. Ferrari must now turn that promising opening into a performance that holds up under qualifying pressure.