Source: Official Team Post via X
Lewis Hamilton Tops Final Practice in Austin, Outpacing Verstappen and Leclerc
Lewis Hamilton led the final practice session at the United States Grand Prix, leaving Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc trailing. Ferrari completed a practice sweep as Hamilton's teammate Leclerc had his fastest lap deleted for track limits.
In the final practice session for the United States Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton topped the timesheets, making it a clean sweep for Ferrari over the weekend. Hamilton set the pace with a 1:34.893, leaving Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc behind. It was a session marked by deleted laps and strategic tire choices, with Hamilton's time set on softs.
As the session began under the Texas sun, it was a slow start with only a few drivers venturing out early. Among them were Cadillac's Sergio Perez and Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto, both of whom face grid penalties for the race. Friday's star, Leclerc, had warned against high expectations despite topping both previous practice sessions, hinting at more potential to unlock in rivals like Verstappen.
Verstappen briefly held the top spot with a 1:35.702 on medium tires, but Hamilton soon snatched it back with his lap on the softer compound. Meanwhile, Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, who could secure his first title this weekend, slotted into fourth behind McLaren's Oscar Piastri.
Track limits continued to be a recurring theme, with multiple laps deleted, including early efforts by Lando Norris and Leclerc. As the session progressed, Verstappen complained of issues with his car's gear shifts, adding to the tension.
Midway through, Leclerc returned to the top with a 1:35.127, faster than his best from FP2. However, Antonelli briefly took over the lead before his time was erased due to track limits, leaving him lamenting what could have been.
The session wasn't without its drama. Audi's Nico Hulkenberg had a close call with Aston Martin's Lance Stroll in the pit lane, an incident that will be reviewed post-session.
As drivers pushed for final improvements, Verstappen reclaimed the top position before Hamilton broke into the 1:34s, ensuring he finished as the fastest. Leclerc's last attempt saw him edge ahead of Hamilton, but yet another track limits violation saw him slip back to third.
The Mercedes pair of Antonelli and George Russell completed the top five, followed by Piastri and Hulkenberg. Norris, struggling with his McLaren, ended in eighth, with Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Red Bull's Isack Hadjar rounding out the top ten.
Further down, Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad were next, with Lindblad also facing a grid penalty. The rest of the field included drivers like Gabriel Bortoleto, Ollie Bearman, and Fernando Alonso. Williams continued their tough weekend, with Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz languishing in 19th and 20th. The Cadillacs of Perez and Valtteri Bottas occupied the last two spots.
With practice over, the focus now shifts to Qualifying, scheduled for 4 PM local time, where the grid for Sunday's race will be decided.