Norris Leads Hulkenberg in Sole US Grand Prix Practice Session

Lando Norris topped the single practice session at the United States Grand Prix, clocking a 1m33.294s. This unexpected result saw Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg take second, with Norris's McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri in third, as teams scrambled for crucial setup data ahead of Sprint qualifying.

Why it matters:

This weekend's Sprint format means teams had only 60 minutes of practice to dial in their cars for Sprint qualifying and Sunday's main race. This singular session was critical for gathering data, setting up the car, and understanding tire performance, making Norris's leading pace a significant indicator for McLaren's potential in Austin.

The Details:

• Early Red Flag: The session was briefly red-flagged 21 minutes in due to debris from Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin, causing a five-minute delay.
• Intense Scramble: All 20 cars hit the circuit early, with initial runs on hard tires led by Lewis Hamilton. As track temperatures rose, teams switched to medium and soft compounds in the final 15 minutes, leading to rapid changes in the leaderboard.
• Late Surges: George Russell, Yuki Tsunoda, and Max Verstappen all briefly held the fastest time before Fernando Alonso set a 1m33.639s. However, Norris's smooth lap put him three-tenths clear, a time no one could beat.
• Surprise Names: Hulkenberg's last-gasp flyer on an evolving track split the McLarens, securing an unexpected second place. Piastri improved late to take third.
• Mixed Fortunes: Alonso finished fourth, ahead of Verstappen in fifth. Alex Albon impressed in sixth for Williams. Both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz of Ferrari had frustrating sessions due to gearbox issues, limiting their valuable track time to nine laps for Sainz and an abandoned flying lap for Leclerc.

The big picture:

The compressed schedule of a Sprint weekend, with just one practice session, significantly raises the stakes. Every moment on track is invaluable, and technical issues like those faced by Ferrari can severely hinder a team's entire weekend. Norris's strong showing, coupled with Hulkenberg's surprising pace, suggests that the competitive order might be less predictable than usual at COTA.

What's next:

The stage is set for a tense Sprint qualifying session later today under the Texas sun. With tight times and evolving grip levels, further surprises are anticipated as teams aim to secure strong starting positions for both the Sprint Race and the Grand Prix.