Leclerc Sweeps Friday Practice at US Grand Prix, Edging Title Leader Antonelli by 0.042s in FP2

Charles Leclerc completed a perfect Friday at the United States Grand Prix, going fastest in second practice at Circuit of the Americas after also topping FP1. The Ferrari driver's 1:35.291 lap on soft tyres beat championship leader Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes by just 0.042 seconds, with Max Verstappen's Red Bull 0.189 seconds adrift in third.

Leclerc's FP1 pace owed something to fortune — Verstappen had set a quicker time before it was deleted for track limits — but FP2 was a cleaner statement. Ferrari ran its new Austin development package on both SF-26s this session after only Leclerc carried the upgrades in FP1, and the car came alive on qualifying simulations despite an earlier off forced by George Russell that drew a warning flag but no steward penalty.

Antonelli's afternoon was disrupted by a loose seat that had him pitting to report it "moving like crazy," yet he still lapped within half a tenth of Leclerc. The 18-year-old Mercedes driver can seal the 2026 world title this weekend in Austin. Verstappen set the early pace on mediums before the field switched to softs, while long-run averages slightly favoured Red Bull and Mercedes over Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton ended fourth, 0.615 seconds back, ahead of Russell in fifth. Liam Lawson impressed in sixth for Racing Bulls, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri seventh and eighth, Isack Hadjar ninth and Oliver Bearman tenth. Sergio Perez returned to his Cadillac seat after Colton Herta's FP1 debut outing, ending 21st.