US GP: Carlos Sainz goes fastest in FP1

In the first and only free practice session of the USA GP it was Carlos Sainz, with a 1m33.602s, to place himself at the top of the standings. Ferrari kicked off the US weekend with a 1-2 finish, as Charles Leclerc followed closely in second place, just 0.021s behind. Max Verstappen can also be pleased with his performance, sitting third, 0.253s off Sainz's time, while staying ahead of McLaren rivals Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. However, his teammate Sergio Perez struggled, finishing well down the order in sixteenth place.

Carlos Sainz
Photo: Motorsport Images

Following the McLaren duo are the Silver Arrows, with Lewis Hamilton leading the way and George Russell close behind. Both British drivers had spins throughout the session, while struggling to handle the upgraded W15. Hamilton spun at Turn 4 but managed to avoid contact with Nico Hulkenberg, while Russell spun at Turn 1 and later at Turn 15.

It was a strong session for Kevin Magnussen and his Haas on home soil, as the Dane secured eighth place. The top 10 was rounded out by Fernando Alonso and Yuki Tsunoda. His teammate Liam Lawson, who - after the 2023 interlude - returned to F1 for the last 6 rounds of this season, finished thirteenth.

As in all sprint race weekends, the next session will be the sprint qualifying, taking place tonight at 10:30pm BST.

Free Practice 1 results
P1) Carlos Sainz - 1.33.602
P2) Charles Leclerc +0.021
P3) Max Verstappen +0.253
P4) Lando Norris +0.266
P5) Oscar Piastri +0.306
P6) Lewis Hamilton +0.361
P7) George Russell +0.491
P8) Kevin Magnussen +0.494
P9) Fernando Alonso +0.510
P10) Yuki Tsunoda +0.711