Catch up on the essentials
- Charles Leclerc topped Formula 1 practice at the Circuit of the Americas on October 23, completing a Friday sweep for Ferrari.
- Mercedes driver Antonelli was the closest challenger to Leclerc during second practice.
- The session took place in warm conditions, with air temperatures between 85 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit and track-surface temperatures declining from 108 to 103.
Selected from this article · 2026-10-24
Read on for the full pictureLeclerc leads both Friday sessions
Charles Leclerc topped Formula 1 practice at the Circuit of the Americas on October 23, completing a Friday sweep for Ferrari. He led first practice ahead of Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli, then remained first in second practice with a lap of 1:35.291.
His second-session time was only 0.042 seconds faster than Antonelli’s 1:35.333. Verstappen was third in a Red Bull, 0.189 seconds behind Leclerc.
Antonelli emerges as closest challenger
Mercedes driver Antonelli was the closest challenger to Leclerc during second practice. He reported that his seat was moving “like crazy” before Mercedes made an adjustment, after which he delivered a competitive soft-tire lap and one of the session’s strongest medium-tire long runs.
Antonelli was quickest in the second sector, while Verstappen led the first and Leclerc posted the best third-sector time.
Track limits and tire degradation shape the results
The session took place in warm conditions, with air temperatures between 85 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit and track-surface temperatures declining from 108 to 103. Several drivers encountered problems staying within the track limits, and high-speed front-tire degradation was also reported.
Lewis Hamilton finished fourth for Ferrari on a 1:35.906, 0.615 seconds behind Leclerc. George Russell was fifth in a Mercedes on a 1:36.035. Behind them, Liam Lawson led the midfield for Racing Bulls with a 1:36.331, ahead of Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and Isack Hadjar.
Ferrari’s advantage narrows
Although Leclerc completed the Friday sweep, reporting said Ferrari’s advantage had nearly disappeared by the end of second practice. Long-run comparisons also left the competitive picture unsettled: Antonelli ran at roughly the same average pace on medium tires as Verstappen managed on the soft compound, while Hamilton was about two tenths slower in the early comparison.
The evidence from the session did not establish a result for Sunday’s race. Track limits, tire degradation and differing fuel loads complicated direct interpretation of the times.
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