Ferrari began the United States Grand Prix weekend in promising fashion, as Carlos Sainz Jnr and team mate Charles Leclerc were the fastest in practice.
The top seven drivers from the top four teams were all covered by half a second in the first and only free practice session of the weekend. Sergio Perez was 16th in the second Red Bull.
Just 0.021s separated the two Ferrari drivers, with Sainz the quicker of the two with a 1’33.602 on soft tyres. Max Verstappen was only just faster than the two McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, while Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were sixth and seventh for Mercedes
The recently repaved circuit offered little grip for the opening hour of running for the weekend – the only opportunity that drivers would get to work on their car’s set up until after Saturday afternoon’s sprint race. Pierre Gasly and George Russell both spun around 180 degrees at the left hand hairpin of turn one, but both were outdone by Lewis Hamilton who successfully completed a full 360 degree spin entering the esses at turn four.
Liam Lawson looked comfortable on his return to a grand prix weekend for the first time in a year, ending his first session back in 13th, just over a tenth of a second slower than RB team mate Yuki Tsunoda.
The session was only interrupted once by a Virtual Safety Car which was triggered in the closing minutes after Oscar Piastri appeared to bail out of entering the pit lane for unknown reasons. After the end of the session, Alexander Albon suffered an embarrassing spin at the first corner after completing his practice start attempt on the grid.
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2024 United States Grand Prix first practice result
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2024 United States Grand Prix
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