Ferrari 1-2 in Austin F1 race pace: Charles Leclerc fastest, Lewis Hamilton just 0.103s behind

Ferrari recorded the two fastest average race lap times at the 2026 United States Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc leading the entire field and Lewis Hamilton just 0.103 seconds per lap behind his teammate. The race pace analysis from Austin reveals a particularly encouraging performance for the SF-26, despite Andrea Kimi Antonelli taking victory for Mercedes. Crucially, Ferrari’s advantage in average lap times was not enough to overcome the strategic benefit of making one fewer pit stop.

Charles Leclerc registered an average lap time of 1:40.090, the best of any driver, while Lewis Hamilton followed with 1:40.193. Max Verstappen was third on 1:40.229, making the Ferrari drivers 0.140 and 0.036 seconds per lap faster respectively than the Red Bull driver. Race winner Andrea Kimi Antonelli averaged 1:40.375, just 0.285 seconds behind Charles Leclerc despite following a different strategy.

Ferrari leads 2026 United States GP race pace rankings

The most striking aspect of Ferrari’s Austin performance was the consistency of its advantage over the rest of the field. Charles Leclerc was the fastest driver on average, while Lewis Hamilton was remarkably close to his teammate despite experiencing difficulties with the balance of the SF-26 during the weekend.

Both Ferrari drivers completed two-stop races, using the soft, medium and hard compounds. Their average lap times were therefore recorded across a different tyre strategy from Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who completed a one-stop race using the medium and hard tyres.

The figures reinforce the encouraging conclusions from Ferrari’s Austin tyre strategy and race pace analysis, particularly concerning the SF-26’s competitiveness over longer runs. They also suggest that Ferrari’s outright race speed was considerably stronger than the finishing positions alone might indicate.

For Lewis Hamilton, the numbers offer an additional positive. Despite finishing fourth, the seven-time world champion maintained an average pace only marginally slower than Charles Leclerc. The small difference is especially noteworthy given the recurring balance problems Lewis Hamilton identified after the United States Grand Prix.

Why Ferrari’s superior race pace was not enough to beat Mercedes

Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s victory highlights the distinction between having the fastest average lap times and completing a Grand Prix in the shortest overall time. While Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were quicker on the measured racing laps, the Mercedes driver benefited from completing the race with one fewer pit stop.

The estimated comparison is particularly revealing. Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s slower average pace represented approximately 16 seconds of accumulated driving-time disadvantage against Charles Leclerc, but avoiding the second pit stop saved an estimated 20 seconds. That difference helps explain how Mercedes could win despite Ferrari recording the two quickest average lap times.

The calculation is an approximation rather than a complete reconstruction of the race, but it illustrates why Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s combination of competitive speed and tyre management proved so effective. The Italian remained within three tenths per lap of Charles Leclerc while completing a longer overall strategy on fewer sets of tyres.

Ferrari’s faster average pace therefore does not establish that a different strategy would necessarily have produced victory. Tyre degradation, traffic, pit-stop timing and the changing track conditions would all need to be considered before drawing that conclusion.

George Russell’s race pace deficit highlights contrasting Mercedes performances

While Andrea Kimi Antonelli won for Mercedes, George Russell experienced a considerably more difficult Grand Prix. The British driver recorded an average lap time of 1:41.209, placing him behind both McLaren drivers and Isack Hadjar in the race pace rankings.

More significantly, George Russell was 0.834 seconds per lap slower than his Mercedes teammate, despite both drivers following the same medium-to-hard tyre strategy. The difference was substantial and underlined the contrast between the two Mercedes performances at Austin.

Nevertheless, the slower average alone does not identify why George Russell struggled. Traffic, tyre behaviour and individual stints can all influence race pace, meaning the deficit should not automatically be attributed to a specific handling or technical problem.

What Ferrari’s Austin race pace means for the SF-26

Ferrari’s one-two in average lap times provides another encouraging indication of the SF-26’s race competitiveness. Charles Leclerc demonstrated the speed to finish ahead of Max Verstappen, while Lewis Hamilton’s figures suggest that he was much closer to his teammate over the race distance than his fourth-place result might initially suggest.

The results can also be considered alongside the broader analysis of Ferrari’s Austin upgrades and their impact on race performance. For further driver comparisons, the ScuderiaFans F1 Race Pace & Lap Time Comparison provides a separate framework for examining representative racing laps.

However, the Austin numbers also underline an important limitation. Ferrari’s drivers completed two stops, while the winning Mercedes completed one, making a straightforward comparison of average lap times insufficient to determine which car had the strongest overall race performance.

For Ferrari, the most encouraging conclusion is that both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton demonstrated highly competitive speed throughout the Grand Prix. Turning that underlying pace into victory will require the same effectiveness across the full race distance, including strategy and tyre management.

2026 United States GP – Average race pace rankings

Note: Average lap times are based on the race pace analysis published by Formula Data Analysis (@FDataAnalysis). Differences in pit-stop strategy, tyre compounds, traffic and stint lengths mean these figures should not be treated as a direct comparison of outright car performance.