Ferrari has emerged as a serious contender at the 2026 United States Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc making an impressive start to the Austin weekend following the introduction of the team’s final major SF-26 upgrade package. The Monegasque driver demonstrated strong performance over both a single lap and longer runs on Friday, although Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli remain significant threats as the battle at the front begins to take shape.
The new aerodynamic developments have immediately helped Leclerc reach the top of the timing screens, with Ferrari showing particularly encouraging performance through the demanding corners of the Circuit of The Americas. However, the picture is considerably less positive for Lewis Hamilton, who has struggled to put together a clean lap and has yet to find the same confidence with the updated car.
Friday’s running also highlighted the different strengths of Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull. While Leclerc appears comfortable with the latest specification, Antonelli continues to lead Mercedes’ efforts to understand its recent developments, and Verstappen remains a serious contender for victory.
Ferrari’s Austin upgrades suit Charles Leclerc but leave Lewis Hamilton searching
Ferrari arrived in Texas with its final substantial development package of the 2026 season, introducing changes to the floor, diffuser and bodywork while retaining the fundamental design philosophy established at the beginning of the year.
The team initially adopted a cautious approach, using FP1 to conduct a direct comparison between the two specifications. Charles Leclerc ran the updated SF-26, while Lewis Hamilton continued with the previous configuration. This allowed the engineers to evaluate the performance of the new components against a familiar reference before deciding how to proceed.
The initial correlation results were evidently encouraging, as Ferrari fitted the upgraded package to both cars for FP2. However, the two drivers experienced very different results, underlining how the same aerodynamic developments can interact differently with individual driving preferences.
Leclerc immediately appeared comfortable with the changes. During the second practice session, he needed only one qualifying simulation, suggesting that he had quickly established a productive understanding of the car’s behaviour. This allowed the Monegasque to devote more time to race preparation, completing the longest race-pace simulation of any driver among the leading teams.
Hamilton, by contrast, continued to struggle both over a single lap and across consecutive laps. The difference appears connected to the characteristics preferred by the two Ferrari drivers. Leclerc thrives when the car responds sharply and has a strong front end, whereas Hamilton prefers greater stability at the rear.
The impression from Friday’s running is that the seven-time world champion still needs to identify the ideal compromise between driving technique and setup to extract the maximum performance from Ferrari’s latest developments. His difficulties were also evident during the session, when the British driver questioned the significant lap-time deficit to Charles Leclerc over team radio.
Where Ferrari’s SF-26 is gaining time at the Circuit of The Americas
Ferrari’s performance was particularly encouraging in the more technical sections of the Austin circuit. The Italian team recorded the strongest sector time in the twisting final sector, although its most important advantage emerged through the fast sequence of direction changes near the beginning of the lap.
These characteristics had already been identified as a potentially favourable area for the SF-26. Ferrari’s aerodynamic efficiency could allow its drivers to manage energy more effectively through successive changes of direction, an advantage that had previously been evident at Silverstone.
However, a change in the FIA’s requirements has reduced the potential benefit. At Austin, the governing body relaxed the obligation to use the electric motor at full power through the opening sequence of corners. This limits an advantage Ferrari might otherwise have enjoyed through that section, although the team has still begun the weekend in competitive form.
The encouraging figures also follow a substantial aerodynamic development effort. Ferrari’s split-specification test in opening practice provided the first comparison between the previous SF-26 and the revised package, which was subsequently installed on both cars.
Kimi Antonelli leads Mercedes as Max Verstappen remains a threat
Despite Ferrari’s encouraging performance, the competition remains extremely close. Kimi Antonelli finished Friday in second position, once again emerging as the leading Mercedes driver. The Italian was particularly impressive compared with teammate George Russell, establishing an advantage of approximately seven tenths of a second.
Mercedes is running both W17 cars with the aerodynamic developments introduced at Sepang, having previously conducted a comparative test at the Singapore Grand Prix. The team’s latest work in Austin is focused primarily on setup, with particular attention being paid to the mechanical behaviour of the suspension.
The objective is to help the revised aerodynamic configuration operate more effectively and produce a more stable balance across different driving conditions. Mercedes therefore retains opportunities to improve before qualifying, although its wider development priorities are already shifting towards 2027.
An important part of that process involves understanding the mistakes made with its recent upgrades. The Brackley team wants to establish why the latest developments have not consistently delivered the expected benefits and how the lessons can inform its future work.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen remains one of the drivers Ferrari must watch most closely. The Dutchman arrives in Austin with the potential to secure a third consecutive victory, and the RB22 has already demonstrated several competitive characteristics.
Despite lacking aerodynamic load through the faster corners, the Red Bull unexpectedly established the fastest time in the opening sector. Its performance was especially strong in slower corners and on the straights, two areas that could become particularly valuable during Sunday’s race.
Good traction and performance through slower sections can help protect the rear tyres, while competitive straight-line speed provides opportunities for overtaking. These qualities could prove important if Verstappen finds himself battling Ferrari and Mercedes over longer stints.
McLaren struggles as Austin wind complicates car balance
McLaren endured another difficult Friday, finishing more than a second away from the fastest time. However, the reigning champions have frequently started Grand Prix weekends at a relatively modest pace before improving as the event progresses.
The behaviour of the MCL40 nevertheless attracted attention, particularly during Lando Norris’s running. The British driver lost the rear of his car under braking on two occasions, suggesting that the McLaren was behaving nervously in those conditions.
The unpredictable wind at the Circuit of The Americas may have contributed to these difficulties. Wind direction and intensity can affect aerodynamic balance, particularly during braking and corner entry, and changing conditions could influence the competitive order over the remainder of the weekend.
McLaren therefore has work to do to understand its current performance, although the team’s traditionally cautious approach to Friday running means its position after FP2 may not fully reflect its potential in qualifying or the race.
Austin FP2 long-run analysis: Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes compared
The race-pace simulations offered another important indication of the competitive picture. The leading teams used all three available tyre compounds during their longer runs, reflecting differing assessments of the most suitable strategy for Sunday’s United States Grand Prix.
Ferrari chose the soft compound for both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, allowing a direct same-compound comparison between the two drivers. Once again, Leclerc appeared more comfortable, recording consistently stronger lap times than his teammate.
The Monegasque also compared favourably with Max Verstappen during the opening six laps of their respective simulations. On the same compound, Leclerc initially produced quicker times, although Verstappen became increasingly competitive as the stint progressed, demonstrating particularly effective tyre management.
The following table reproduces the recorded lap times from the Friday race simulations, including the tyre compounds and their stated usage at the beginning of each run.
2026 United States GP FP2 race-pace comparison – lap times
| Lap | Max Verstappen | Charles Leclerc | Lewis Hamilton | Kimi Antonelli | George Russell | Lando Norris |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyres | Soft +3 laps | Soft +3 laps | Soft +6 laps | Medium +6 laps | Medium +7 laps | Hard +7 laps |
| 1 | 1:41.2 | 1:41.1 | 1:41.7 | 1:41.2 | 1:41.2 | 1:40.6 |
| 2 | 1:41.0 | 1:40.7 | 1:42.2 | 1:40.8 | 1:41.2 | 1:40.8 |
| 3 | 1:40.8 | 1:40.6 | 1:41.0 | High | 1:41.4 | 1:41.2 |
| 4 | 1:41.5 | 1:40.7 | 1:42.6 | 1:41.4 | 1:42.6 | 1:41.0 |
| 5 | 1:41.5 | 1:41.2 | 1:42.3 | 1:41.6 | 1:42.8 | 1:41.4 |
| 6 | 1:42.2 | 1:42.1 | — | High | — | 1:41.8 |
| 7 | 1:41.6 | 1:42.1 | — | 1:41.5 | — | High |
| 8 | 1:41.4 | 1:41.5 | — | High | — | 1:41.3 |
| 9 | 1:41.7 | 1:42.0 | — | 1:42.2 | — | — |
| 10 | — | 1:42.1 | — | 1:42.0 | — | — |
| 11 | — | 1:42.2 | — | 1:41.7 | — | — |
| 12 | — | High | — | 1:41.9 | — | — |
| 13 | — | High | — | — | — | — |
| 14 | — | 1:41.2 | — | — | — | — |
| 15 | — | 1:42.1 | — | — | — | — |
Note: Tyre information indicates the compound and the number of laps already completed on that set at the start of the recorded run. High indicates a lap marked as unusually slow in the original data, without a numerical time supplied. A dash indicates that no lap time was listed.
What the long runs reveal about Ferrari’s race prospects
Mercedes selected the medium compound for both Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, and their race simulations again showed a performance difference in favour of the Italian. Antonelli’s consistency offered another encouraging indication for the team, reinforcing the impression that he is currently obtaining more from the W17.
McLaren divided its programme between its drivers. Oscar Piastri used the soft compound, while Lando Norris completed his run on hard tyres. Despite the difficulties experienced earlier in the session, Norris recorded respectable lap times during the longer stint, suggesting that McLaren’s race performance may be more competitive than its single-lap results initially indicated.
The complete practice-session picture, including stint comparisons and tyre-compound differences, can also be explored through the F1 Practice & Long-Run Analysis tool.
Overall, the Friday simulations have increased the likelihood of a one-stop strategy for Sunday’s race. However, the use of different compounds by the leading teams shows that there are still contrasting assessments of the optimal approach, with tyre behaviour likely to remain an important factor.
For Ferrari, the encouraging news is that the upgraded SF-26 appears capable of competing at the front both over a single lap and across longer runs. Charles Leclerc has quickly found confidence in the revised car, giving the Maranello team genuine encouragement as it attempts to return to winning ways.
Nevertheless, the competition remains formidable. Max Verstappen demonstrated impressive tyre management, while Kimi Antonelli produced competitive pace with Mercedes and continues to show the potential of the W17. Both drivers may still have additional performance to reveal as the weekend progresses.
The challenge for Ferrari is therefore to turn its promising Friday into a result when it matters most, while helping Lewis Hamilton unlock the performance already demonstrated by his teammate. With Red Bull and Mercedes close behind, the battle for victory at the United States Grand Prix remains wide open.
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