Hamilton Leads Tight Field in Final US Grand Prix Practice

Lewis Hamilton set the pace in the final practice session for the 2026 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas. A tight battle saw the Ferrari driver edge out Max Verstappen and teammate Charles Leclerc, signaling a high-intensity showdown heading into qualifying.

Why it matters:

The session highlighted a potential vulnerability for Red Bull, as Max Verstappen reported mechanical and handling frustrations despite his second-place finish. With Ferrari and Mercedes showing strong cohesive pace, the competitive balance at COTA appears shifted toward the Silver Arrows and the Scuderia.

The Details:

• Top Times: Hamilton clocked a 1:34.893, leading Verstappen (+0.168s) and Leclerc (+0.234s).
• Mercedes Depth: Kimi Antonelli and George Russell finished 4th and 5th, proving Mercedes possesses the raw speed to challenge for the front row.
• Technical Hurdles: Verstappen struggled with inconsistent downshifts and a lock-up at Turn 15, suggesting Red Bull may have setup issues to resolve before the clock starts in qualifying.
• Track Limit Struggles: Turn 9 and Turn 12 were the primary culprits for deleted laps, significantly affecting the representative times of Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris.

The Big Picture:

The 2026 grid continues to show a tight spread of performance. Audi's Nico Hülkenberg finishing 7th and the presence of Cadillac entries in the timing sheets indicate a diversifying midfield, while Alpine's improved one-lap pace suggests a positive trajectory for the French squad.

What's next:

All eyes now turn to qualifying to see if Ferrari can convert FP3 dominance into a pole position. The critical question remains whether Red Bull can resolve Verstappen's handling issues in time to secure a front-row start and neutralize Ferrari's current momentum.