United States GP: Leclerc completes Friday clean sweep as Antonelli looms

Charles Leclerc did the double on Friday at the United States Grand Prix, going fastest in FP2 after his FP1 P1.

Mercedes’ champion-to-be Kimi Antonelli was within half a tenth of the Ferrari in second, Max Verstappen third. In a Grand Prix Sunday clue, Lando Norris was informed that Leclerc had encountered comparable limitations on the soft tyre.

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Max Verstappen was quick to go wheel-to-wheel with former Red Bull teammate Liam Lawson as the light went green for FP2, going around the outside exiting Turn 1.

He passed the sister Racing Bulls car, driven by Arvid Lindblad, later in the lap.

Speaking of Lindblad, he now has a five-place grid drop for the United States Grand Prix for taking a sixth Internal Combustion Engine.

Elsewhere on the power unit elements penalty front, Gabriel Bortoleto will drop 20 grid places and Franco Colapinto 10.

Verstappen’s 1:36.581, on medium tyres, served as the early benchmark to chase.

As Mercedes worked on an unstable seat for Kimi Antonelli, teammate George Russell hit the front, increasing the pace to a 1:36.035. Verstappen soon bettered that by a tenth. Norris went well wide out of the final turn.

There was a mix of medium and hard tyre running throughout the top 10, with the first quarter of the session gone.

Leclerc found himself in a close shave with Russell through Turn 18, the Ferrari going clonking over the kerb as he tried to muscle his way past the Mercedes through a small gap around the outside.

Russell received a black and white warning flag for forcing another driver off the track. That later became an investigation from the FIA stewards, but no further action was forthcoming.

As most of the pack returned to pit lane, Antonelli got his session up and running, shooting up to third.

The soft rubber came out to play with a little over half the session remaining.

Verstappen went three tenths clear of Russell, before Leclerc clocked a 1:35.291 to go P1 by just under two tenths.

Isack Hadjar was far from pleased with his Red Bull RB22’s treatment of the soft front tyres in high speed.

Russell was forced to bail out of his next attempt after a big snap through the esses. Antonelli went P2 and cut Leclerc’s buffer to 0.042s.

Carlos Sainz was describing the Williams as a “mess” with he and Alex Albon adrift at the back alongside Cadillac.

Albon was next to struggle through the esses, lending credit to his teammate’s claim.

“Bravo Russell.” A sarcastic compliment from Alonso as he approached the Mercedes, albeit from a distance, into the final corner.

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Race simulations would take over for the final quarter of FP2, Leclerc completing the Friday clean sweep.

Interestingly, Norris was informed that Leclerc had encountered similar limitations to him on the softs in a clue for Sunday.

F1 2026 champion-in-waiting Antonelli secured second, with Verstappen completing the top three.

Full results: United States Grand Prix 2026 – F1 FP2 results (Circuit of The Americas)