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Lewis Hamilton Snatches Top Spot from Max Verstappen in F1 US GP FP3
Highlights
- Lewis Hamilton topped final practice with 1:34.893 lap time.
- Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc finished second and third.
- Leclerc’s best lap deleted due to track limits violation.
- Kimi Antonelli and George Russell placed fourth and fifth.
- Oscar Piastri secured sixth, while Lando Norris had lap deleted.
- Qualifying set for Saturday amid tight competition and track issues.
Lewis Hamilton tops final practice at the United States Grand Prix with a 1:34.893 at Austin, ahead of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc. The benchmark arrives amid sustained track-limits scrutiny.
The session builds steadily. Hamilton opens with a 1:36.716 on softs as many conduct medium-tyre checks. Liam Lawson and Oscar Piastri briefly depose him during early phases.
Several frontrunners persist on mediums. Verstappen goes fastest with a 1:35.702 on softs despite downshift issues. Hamilton replies with 1:35.561, also on softs, to retake control.
Leclerc underlines Ferrari pace with a 1:35.127 on mediums, indicating margin in hand. Kimi Antonelli briefly eclipses that before losing the lap for Turn 9 excess.
Verstappen’s 1:35.061 stands within limits as Red Bull looks potent in sector one. Hamilton then produces 1:34.893 to close the session on top.
Hamilton breaks the 1:35 barrier with a 1:34.893 to lead FP3 at COTA.
Track limits bite again. Leclerc’s best is deleted for crossing the white line at Turn 10, leaving him third. The clampdown mirrors ongoing track-limits enforcement this weekend.
The competitive picture tightens. Championship leader Antonelli finishes fourth, with Mercedes teammate George Russell fifth, suggesting the Silver Arrows sit just behind Ferrari and Red Bull on outright pace.
Piastri places sixth for McLaren, while Nico Hulkenberg’s Audi edges Lando Norris after Norris loses a lap to track limits. The midfield remains compressed.
Pierre Gasly is ninth for Alpine, a second off Hamilton’s pace. Isack Hadjar completes the top 10 but reports frustration with handling in the second Red Bull.
Multiple laps are deleted at Turns 9 and 10 as officials police track limits.
Tyre choices split the field, with mediums masking ultimate pace and softs providing late references. That pattern reflects Friday’s running in Practice 2, while Ferrari’s trajectory under Hamilton aligns with broader overhaul work.
Red Bull’s performance window looks robust, and further gains may come given recent upgrade activity. With qualifying on Saturday afternoon, execution under strict limits could decide the front row.
Qualifying follows on Saturday afternoon at COTA with minimal margins between the frontrunners.
Visual Summary
Hamilton Blasts Under 1:35!
Track Limits Drama
1
Hamilton
Mercedes
Hamilton
Mercedes
2
Verstappen
Red Bull
Verstappen
Red Bull
3
Leclerc
Ferrari
⚠️
Leclerc
Ferrari
⚠️
4
Antonelli
Mercedes
Antonelli
Mercedes
5
Russell
Mercedes
Russell
Mercedes
Under the White Line
Hamilton barrels into qualifying with a record-breaking lap in Austin. Track limits spell heartbreak for Leclerc and Norris. Tension peaks for Saturday – who will keep it clean when it counts?
Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.
