The opening 60-minute practice session at the magnificent Circuit of the Americas outside Austin immediately captivated the Texas crowd, with grandstands already well-filled early in the day. Following a sprint format last year, the event returned to its classic schedule with two sessions on Friday, setting up a traditional weekend flow. Drivers headed out onto the bumpy track under an ambient temperature of 28 degrees Celsius and a track temperature of 41 degrees.
Teams arrived in Texas packed with technical updates to boost performance. Ferrari brought a substantial package featuring a new floor, revised sidepods with smaller inlets, and an updated diffuser. Meanwhile, Red Bull Racing introduced a modified front wing, and McLaren opted for aerodynamic tweaks around the wheels alongside a new diffuser designed to deliver more consistent downforce.
As running got underway, several cars hit the circuit fitted with bulky aero-rake structures for data collection. Max Verstappen quickly reported an issue over the radio, complaining that his steering felt strange in left-hand corners as if something was blocked. Elsewhere, the FIA handed down the first penalty of the weekend to Arvid Lindblad, who was forced to take new engine components resulting in a grid drop.
Midway through the session, Charles Leclerc—the 2024 Austin winner—lowered the benchmark time on Pirelli soft compound tires to secure the top spot. Verstappen fired back almost immediately, slotting into second place just 84 thousandths of a second behind the Monegasque driver, while the rest of the field scrambled to find grip on the challenging asphalt.
Mercedes, Williams, Aston Martin, and Haas were the notable teams entering the American weekend without any new parts. As the clock wound down on the first practice hour, teams gathered crucial long-run and short-run data ahead of the upcoming qualifying sessions.
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