FP1 Highlights | 2024 United States Grand Prix

F1 is back after quite a long break, and it's the return of the sprint. So drivers just had a single hour of practice to get to grips with the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. And it was the Ferraris with the fastest two times in the session. Carlos signs top, some two hundredths quicker than Charles Leclerc in P2. Quite a few upgrades on display. In fact, every team, bar Ferrari and Williams, have made tweaks large and small to their challenges, ahead of the first of two triple-headers that will finish off the 2024 season. Current Constructors' Championship leaders McLaren have made a raft of improvements to the front wing, the front suspension and all four corners of the car. Oscar Piastri was out early, getting to grips with the changes, the Australian locking up at Turn 11 and later having a moment of doubt at the pit entry. Missed an entry. Copy. So we saw what happened. Well done for avoiding the accident. Teammate Lando Norris left his quick runs till the end and covered in Flovis, putting a time marginally quicker than Piastri. They finished P4 and P5, respectively. Mercedes technical director James Allison described the Silver Arrows' updates as substantial, including changes to the front wing, front suspension and the floor edges. Lewis Hamilton put those new bits to the test and needed all of his undoubted skill, as a tank slapper took the seven-time world champion spinning through the esses. Was that Turn 4 for Lewis? Because I had a big moment there as well. Yeah, it looks like it. That's weird. Replays showed Russell did indeed have a similar moment there, and shortly after a little half-spin at Turn 1. Bit of a scrappy session for them. Hamilton was P6 at the flag, one better than Russell. Red Bull have made some minor changes, and their first soft-shod runs were very quick indeed. Max Verstappen's time of a 1'33.8 was almost a second quicker than the pole lap set by Leclerc 12 months ago. He finished the session in P3. Changes at V-Carb, with Daniel Ricciardo departing after Singapore. Liam Lawson returns to the seat he occupied for five races last season, whilst the honey badger was recovering from injury. The New Zealander given six races to impress his Red Bull employers. P13 this time out, by comparison, teammate Yuki Tsunoda was P10. A few Kota-specific liveries on display. Home team Haas have added a smattering of stars and stripes to their usual look, and McLaren have supplemented their papaya paint job with a touch of chrome. You'd be forgiven for thinking that Alpine might be trying to emulate the Woking team's success with their new look for the A524 Sunset Orange skin is to celebrate the imminent release of an Indiana Jones video game. Pierre Gasly had a little adventure game of his own, locking up and spinning around at Turn 1. Williams driver Alex Albon will reach 100 Grand Prix starts if he makes the grid on Sunday. That's one better than the great Sir Jackie Stewart managed in his sensational career. To celebrate, the Thai driver was sporting a Valentino Rossi helmet, similar to the one that he wore back in his karting days. He dug up some dirt at Turn 8 and had a spin after the session whilst practising his stars. So, as the teams prepare for Sprint Qualifying, practice finished like this. Signs quickest from Leclerc, Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Hamilton and Russell, and they were followed by Kevin Magnussen, Fernando Alonso and Yuki Tsunoda. P11 for Nico Hülkenberg then came Gasly, Lawson, Albon, Stroll, Perez, Ocon, Bottas, Colopinto and Joe Guanyu.