Norris Leads Only Practice Session in Austin, Hulkenberg and Piastri Close Behind as Leclerc and Sainz Struggle

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Lando Norris topped the only Free Practice session at the United States Grand Prix, putting the McLaren driver in first place ahead of Nico Hulkenberg and his teammate Oscar Piastri. Norris posted a best lap of 1:33.294, with Hulkenberg 0.255 seconds behind and Piastri 0.279 seconds off the pace.

This lone practice session held extra weight because teams will have less time to dial in their setups before Sprint Qualifying later in the day. At the start of FP1, many drivers queued in the pit lane waiting for the track to clear, with Max Verstappen among those eager to get laps underway. Some drivers began on hard tyres, while others like Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll opted for medium rubber.

The session was briefly halted when debris was spotted at Turn 19, prompting a red flag. After the delay, the action resumed, and as grip levels improved, teams pushed harder. Fernando Alonso briefly challenged for the top time before Norris displaced him. Hulkenberg impressed with his pace in the Kick Sauber, slotting into second, while Piastri ensured both McLarens were high in the order.

Ferrari had a difficult start to the weekend. Charles Leclerc reported an oil smell and returned to the pits before completing many laps, while Carlos Sainz was called in for a gearbox check, limiting his time on track. Many other drivers used the session for setup runs and tyre tests, preparing for the sprint format ahead.

Sprint Qualifying is coming up later today and will set the grid for Saturday’s 100-kilometre Sprint race. For fans in the Maldives, the session will run at 2:30 AM local time, so stay ready for more action.