F1 US GP Live Commentary and Updates – FP1

With that, we’ll take a break ahead of sprint qualifying which starts at 10:30pm and will be covered live here. Until then, go well!

In this live text commentator’s opinion, assuming Red Bull remains clear of wrongdoing – which is the case at present – this is a classic team pressure tactic to force focus on to a rival and aim to destablise it. McLaren had it in Azerbaijan with its mini-DRS rear wing, Red Bull has it this weekend with its ride height adjustment.

Red Bull ride height update: two FIA officials are literally watching a Red Bull mechanic demonstrate how the team uses the device – and, presumably, how the team cannot use it in parc ferme conditions. The FIA officials are now putting a sticker seal on the part – right in front of the TV cameras. 

Here’s the full report on an eventful FP1 session.

One certainty we can provide is that Lawson will start from the back of the grid regardless of how he qualifies later – because he’s effectively got an all-new power unit that is outside of his allocation. What a nice way to say welcome back to F1!

So, as per sprint race weekends, that is it for practice. Competitive sessions from here on out, starting with sprint qualifying which begins at 10:30pm BST tonight.

“There was a post-chequered flag spin for Albon – grip at Turn 1 exit still tricky then.”

So, Ferrari ends practice on top with a 1-2 led by Sainz. A very good session for the Italian squad, while it looked solid for Verstappen at Red Bull. Less so for McLaren, Mercedes and Perez in the other Red Bull – with the Mexican ending the session down in 16th.

“Turn 3 and the Esses overall at Austin is an excellent spot to see these ground-effect cars in exactly the place they work best – high speed turns. The direction changes are so dramatic, the sparks adding a further level of cascading speed, the thudding off the kerbs so violent you’re left marvelling at the engineering that keeps the cars planted. F1 viewing at its very best.”

Norris gets in his one and only quick lap on the softs before the finish and goes fourth fastest, but he also went off this time at Turn 9.

Leclerc makes it a Ferrari 1-2, just 0.021s slower than Sainz at the top, as the chequered flag comes out.

The Australian makes amends by going to third on the times, despite going over the white lines at Turn 19 meaning the lap wouldn’t have counted if it was qualifying.

Piastri has duly been shown the black and white flag for that pitlane entry incident. No harm done, but if he did it in the race he’d be slapped with a penalty.

And everything back to green again after that unusual moment for Piastri. Alonso has popped himself up to third ahead of Tsunoda and Hamilton.

Wow! Piastri almost clattered the wall diving into pit entry with far too much speed. Then the pitlane entry is closed momentarily with a virtual safety car deployed.

Sainz then goes fastest overall for Ferrari with a 1m33.602s – a quarter of a second up on Verstappen’s earlier lap time.

Hamilton splits the Red Bulls at the top to take second with a 1m34.314s, shortly followed by Lawson into third.

“At Turn 3, the cars are absolutely hopping hitting the kerb on the inside. It’s such a violent moment and while Norris’s McLaren is calm, Russell’s Mercedes is moving sideways dramatically and also showering sparks each time.”

And just like that, almost the entire field has switched to soft tyres for a mini-qualifying simulation with 10 minutes to go. Watch the timing screen get all shaken up.

Albon, who has swapped to the softs, has an unsettled Williams into Turn 12 so has to take to the run-off. There are some big bumps in the braking zone at the end of the back straight.

Russell goes off track once again, this time at Turn 15, having locked up under braking.

Off the track for a moment, here is what McLaren boss Brown had to say in full about Red Bull’s front bib adjuster. 

Zhou crawls back to the pits as he reports he has no power. He’s told to stay in gear as he enters the pitlane, so that appears to be his session over.

Approaching the final quarter of the sole practice session and still no sign of anyone else trying the softs or mediums outside of Red Bull and Sauber.

Perez marginally improves to take second place with a 1m34.638s but he is still seven-tenths off Verstappen.

Verstappen doesn’t improve on his outright fastest lap time but he does post a 1m33.991s to go within a couple of tenths off his best. Could those softs be able to hang on for more than one lap?

No need to guess where F1 is racing this weekend. Giant flag gives a giant clue.

“The main struggle was the ride in the low speed. I start to bounce a lot more,” Perez reports over the radio to race engineer Hugh Bird, who has returned to the airwaves for the Mexican driver this weekend.

Perez, meanwhile, goes third on his soft tyres with an identical time to Sainz but as he set it second the Mexican slots in behind the Spaniard.

And there goes Verstappen, all the way to the top, with a 1m33.855s – almost a full second quicker than Sainz on the hards.

Both Red Bulls have started their second runs on soft tyres, with everyone else still on hards. So we should expect to see them surge towards the top of the times.

Most drivers are back in the pits to debrief on their opening runs, with probably the most in-depth chat going on at Mercedes having seen both drivers end up facing the wrong way.

Following his earlier spin, Hamilton is gradually feeling his way into this session, currently 16th fastest and over 2s off the outright pace.

Leclerc returns to the top with a 1m34.966s, ahead of Sainz to reinstall a Ferrari 1-2. Only Bottas, in sixth, has tried out the medium tyres so far with the majority of drivers still on the hards.

“Russell’s Turn 1 spin occurred when he was on a wider line and the rear wouldn’t hang on. Very tricky session so far for Mercedes.”

But this time Russell has spun off, having lost control of his Mercedes at Turn 1 and then he went fully around on the exit and rolled down the hill. Thankfully for everyone he is able to get going again without tangling with oncoming traffic while turning his car around.

Hamilton then properly goes off, as he fails to catch his Mercedes and spins around at Turn 4. He pits and asks his team to check over his tyres and the car floor. 30 seconds later Russell almost does the exact same thing but he is able to catch the slide.

“Gasly just spun his Alpine seconds after Hamilton and Norris both went off – they’re trying to carry more speed on entry but the rears just can’t take it. There’s also a very strong crosswinds they traverse that apex.”

To rather underline Alex’s point, Ocon’s Alpine team-mate spins at Turn 1 struggling for grip. Gasly gets going again without much fuss, but his hard tyres have taken a sheering.