Austin practice pace: Charles Leclerc sets the mark ahead of Verstappen in US grand prix
Conflicting practice results
The opening report says Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc topped the session, ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. However, another passage identifies an Italian as fifth fastest, 0.481 seconds behind the leader, with McLaren’s Lando Norris and Mercedes’ George Russell ahead of him. The account does not clarify how those rankings relate to Leclerc, so the practice order is inconsistent in the report.
Teams assess car changes
Mercedes returned both cars to an upgraded specification introduced in Malaysia two races earlier. Questions remained about how its performance compared with rivals. Ferrari’s update for Austin centred on a substantially revised floor. Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton both played down its likely impact.
Ferrari weighs its prospects
A driver quoted in the report said the upgrade might not close the performance gap enough to challenge. He also suggested the circuit could suit Ferrari and that rivals might have a less successful weekend. The passage did not identify the speaker of that remark.
Title scenario in Austin
The report says Antonelli could secure the championship in Austin only by winning the race. Russell would also need to finish below eighth, while Hamilton would have to finish below fourth. The report also listed live coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Sports Extra, with text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.
Key points
- The report names Charles Leclerc as the practice leader, but later gives a conflicting fifth-place result for an unnamed Italian.
- Ferrari brought a new floor to Austin; Leclerc and Hamilton downplayed its potential effect.
- Mercedes returned both cars to an upgrade introduced in Malaysia two races earlier.
- Antonelli’s title scenario requires a win, with Russell below eighth and Hamilton below fourth.