Ferrari heads into qualifying for the 2026 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix with genuine hopes of fighting for pole position after setting the pace throughout practice at the Circuit of the Americas. Lewis Hamilton led the final practice session ahead of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, but the small gaps between the leading drivers mean the battle for pole remains difficult to predict.
Follow our live coverage of United States GP qualifying from Austin, with Q1 scheduled to begin at 23:00 CEST on Saturday. The session should conclude around midnight, provided there are no red flags or other interruptions, with the usual elimination format of Q1, Q2 and Q3 determining the starting grid. For the complete weekend timetable, see our 2026 United States Grand Prix schedule and COTA guide.
2026 F1 United States GP qualifying LIVE: Ferrari targets pole in Austin
Good evening and welcome back to ScuderiaFans.com. We are bringing you live, minute-by-minute coverage of qualifying for the 2026 United States Grand Prix, as the drivers prepare to fight for the best possible starting positions in Austin. With the margins so narrow throughout the three free practice sessions, identifying a clear favourite for pole position is particularly difficult.
One thing is certain: Ferrari has been the fastest team across all three practice sessions. The Scuderia’s encouraging weekend continued in FP3, when Lewis Hamilton topped the timesheets ahead of Max Verstappen and Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque also produced a lap quick enough to move ahead of his teammate, but that time was deleted after he exceeded track limits.
The performance followed an equally encouraging Friday, when Charles Leclerc set the benchmark in FP2 as Ferrari continued to impress at Austin. The consistency of the team’s practice performances raises hopes that the SF-26 could challenge for pole position, although the decisive qualifying laps are still to come.
Mercedes and McLaren aim to challenge Ferrari in qualifying
Mercedes appeared slightly further behind in final practice, with Kimi Antonelli and George Russell finishing fourth and fifth respectively. McLaren also continued searching for the right setup balance, with both cars recording relatively substantial gaps to the fastest time.
However, practice results do not necessarily reflect the full competitive picture. The differences between teams’ running programmes and the close margins recorded throughout the weekend leave open the possibility of a change in the pecking order once qualifying begins. Fans can explore the performances recorded during the weekend through our F1 Practice & Long-Run Analysis.
Will Ferrari’s impressive practice pace translate into pole position, or could Max Verstappen, Mercedes or McLaren produce a surprise when it matters most? Follow ScuderiaFans.com for live, minute-by-minute coverage, updates and discussion throughout Q1, Q2 and Q3 as the starting grid for the 2026 United States Grand Prix takes shape.
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