Second practice session, US Grand Prix: Leclerc, Antonelli and Verstappen – three drivers with penalties!

The second free practice session for the US Grand Prix took place, like the first 60 minutes, in glorious weather: 30 degrees, with the track at 43 degrees.

The standout moments from the first practice session: Ferrari set the pace with Charles Leclerc (for the sixth time in a first practice session in 2026) – setting the fastest single-lap time and also the fastest over a sustained run.

However, Max Verstappen would have been faster on one occasion, but the Dutchman’s lap was disallowed because he had briefly strayed off the track.

There was a brief moment of commotion right at the start of the session: a misunderstanding, of all things, between the Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson at Turn 1; the New Zealander hadn’t seen the Dutchman coming.

We hadn’t seen that one coming either: three drivers have already been handed grid penalties. A Racing Bulls driver will have to start five places further back due to the fitting of a new engine; Audi driver Gabriel Bortoleto will start at the back of the field, 20 places down; and Alpine driver Franco Colapinto must start 10 places further back. More will undoubtedly follow.

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Max Verstappen set an initial benchmark on medium-hard Pirelli tyres (ahead of Russell, Hadjar and Norris), whilst his Red Bull Racing team-mate was having helmet problems: “I can’t close the visor completely, I’ve got to come in.”

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli on the radio: “My seat is moving all over the place, it’s not comfortable.” The 20-year-old future world champion brought his Mercedes into the pits for a quick service. The hard-working mechanics spent nearly ten minutes trying to sort out the stubborn seat.

Under the watchful eye of American racing legend Mario Andretti (a guest of Cadillac), Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc moved up to P2 behind Verstappen.

After twelve minutes, Norris snatched the lead from four-time champion Verstappen, only to be immediately overtaken by George Russell in the Mercedes, as the track rapidly built up more grip.

After a quarter of an hour, Red Bull Racing’s Hadjar provided Verstappen with a slipstream on the back straight. Max promptly reclaimed the lead on medium-hard tyres, 101 thousandths ahead of George Russell.

Speaking of Russell: Charles Leclerc tried to overtake the Briton, but the Mercedes driver apparently didn’t see the Monegasque, and it came down to a matter of centimetres. Leclerc’s comments on the incident were not reported.

Russell was shown the black-and-white flag as a warning not to block the track like that again. Then came a statement from the FIA: the incident would be investigated further. But shortly afterwards, the Englishman was let off the hook.

Kimi Antonelli moved up to P3 behind Verstappen and Russell after 22 minutes (with his seat firmly secured); at that point, Ferrari were in P6 (Leclerc) and P9 (Hamilton), whilst Nico Hülkenberg in the Audi was in P13.

After just under half an hour, the top drivers switched to Pirelli’s softest tyre compound: Leclerc snatched the lead from Verstappen, with Hamilton behind (though already more than half a second slower than Leclerc).

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli moved up to second place, whilst the 2025 champion Lando Norris spun off the track almost simultaneously, but apart from his pride and a left-front tyre, no damage was done.

Williams were in trouble. Grand Prix winner Carlos Sainz groaned over the radio: “I have zero confidence in the rear axle.” Only Cadillac were performing worse than the two Williams cars at that point.

Fernando Alonso had other problems. He gave a thumbs-up from the cockpit and quipped over the radio in a voice dripping with irony: “Bravo, Russell.”

Perhaps George Russell is also suffering from jet lag – even though he drags his own pillow and mattress around the world with him.