Charles Leclerc stays on top in Austin FP2 as Antonelli takes second

After setting the pace in the opening free practice for the United States Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc once again topped the timesheets at the end of FP2 at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

The Ferrari driver maintained the fastest time with a 1:35.291 lap during the mid-session soft-tyre qualifying simulations. The Monegasque edged championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli by 0.042 seconds, with the Italian improving from his fifth-place finish in the opening session.

Antonelli's strong showing came despite losing several minutes of track time early in the session due to a seat issue. The Mercedes driver reported over the radio that his seat was loose in the cockpit; although he initially attempted to stay out, he soon returned to the pits so his mechanics could resolve the problem before resuming his run programme.

Max Verstappen, winner of the previous two races in Malaysia and Singapore, completed the top three, 0.189 seconds behind Leclerc, followed by Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in fourth and fifth. Russell had logged a time that would have placed him fourth, 0.502s off the benchmark, but the lap was deleted after he exceeded track limits towards the end of his preparation lap.

Oscar Piastri also lost his fastest lap time due to track limits, finishing eighth behind Liam Lawson and teammate Lando Norris. Isack Hadjar and Oliver Bearman rounded out the top ten at the end of Friday's running in Austin.

The United States Grand Prix weekend, the 18th round of the 2026 Formula 1 season, continues today with the third and final free practice session at the Circuit of the Americas.