United States GP practice
Lewis Hamilton finished United States GP practice at the top of the timesheet in Austin, lapping 0.168 seconds quicker than Max Verstappen in the final session before qualifying. The margin is small enough that Ferrari and Red Bull appear set to fight for pole position and victory for a second consecutive weekend.
Hamilton's benchmark came after Charles Leclerc had gone a tenth of a second faster, only for the Ferrari driver's time to be deleted for track limits. Leclerc, quickest in both of Friday's sessions, was classified third, so the raw pace order across the two days is not fully reflected in the final standings.
Track limits shape the order
Track limits are expected to be a major issue in qualifying because of the circuit's tarmac run-off areas, with drivers keen to use every centimetre of track to find lap time. Final practice showed how thin the margin is between a competitive lap and no lap at all.
Lando Norris was eighth for McLaren but would have been in the top five had his best lap not been removed for the same reason. Oscar Piastri was sixth, one place ahead of Audi's Nico Hulkenberg, who impressed in seventh.
Antonelli's title arithmetic
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli ended the session fourth, three tenths of a second off Hamilton's pace, with Mercedes team-mate George Russell fifth at nearly half a second down. The source describes Antonelli's chances of becoming the youngest world champion as extremely difficult, given he must first win the Grand Prix to give himself an opportunity, with Mercedes slightly off the pace.
That leaves the championship leader needing both a step from his car and a clean qualifying, on a circuit where a single wheel over the white line can erase a lap.
Qualifying and race schedule
Qualifying starts at 10pm UK time on Saturday, with build-up from 8.30pm on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event. The race follows on Sunday at 8pm, with coverage beginning at 6.30pm.
F1 Academy races and Ted's Qualifying Notebook fill the rest of the Saturday schedule, with the notebook following the session at 12.45am.
The original report is from skysports.com.
