Charles Leclerc sweeps Friday US Grand Prix practice with FP2 fastest lap

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc set the fastest lap of free practice 2 at the United States Grand Prix, beating Mercedes’ championship leader, Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. 

Feature image credit: By Courtesy of Pirelli 

Leclerc swept over Friday with a pair of fastest laps in both Free Practice One and Two at the United States Grand Prix around the Circuit of The Americas, beating both Antonelli and Verstappen to the top time.

There was only one driver change in FP2 with Sergio Perez returning to his usual race seat at Cadillac, after losing out to Colton Herta who took part in the opening hour of practice, as the teams FP1 rookie. 

When the second hour of practice got underway, the Red Bull-backed stable were the first to head out onto the track, with the two Racing Bulls followed by Red Bull’s four-time world champion, Max Verstappen. 

Three drivers hit with grid penalties for United States Grand Prix

The Dutchman was immediately lively out on track from the pit lane after a feisty overtake on Racing Bull’s Liam Lawson into turn one, after being unable to pass the Kiwi on the pit exit. 

Red Bull’s star man was also the early pacesetter, taking the fastest lap until the halfway point, where Leclerc took over that mantle on the timing boards. By the end of the session, no one was able to dethrone the Monegasque driver. 

At the chequered flag, the #16 Ferrari finished best of the rest with a 1 minute 35.291 second lap around the American circuit. Mercedes’ championship leader, Antonelli finished the session 0.042 seconds adrift from the Monegasque’s best time, with Verstappen finishing third, 0.189 seconds adrift. 

Who finished where at the end of the second practice? 

Charles Leclerc tops the opening hour of US Grand Prix practice

Free Practice 2 Classification

1. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari – 1m 35.291s
2. Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes +0.042s
3. Max Verstappen, Red Bull +0.189s
4. Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari +0.615s
5. Oscar Piastri, McLaren +0.738s
6. George Russell, Mercedes +0.744s
7. Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls +1.040s
8. Lando Norris, McLaren +1.082s
9. Isack Hadjar, Red Bull +1.120s
10. Oliver Bearman, Haas +1.245s
11. Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi +1.541s
12. Pierre Gasly, Alpine +1.549s
13. Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls +1.668s
14. Esteban Ocon, Haas +1.820
15. Franco Colapinto, Alpine +1.910
16. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin +1.944s
17. Lance Stroll, Aston Martin +1.978s
18. Nico Hulkenberg, Audi +2.139s
19. Carlos Sainz, Williams +2.410s
20. Alexander Albon, Williams +2.744s
21. Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac +3.131s
22. Sergio Perez, Cadillac +3.643s

Read more Formula 1 here:

Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.