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Formula 1
United States GP
F1 United States GP Live Commentary and Updates - FP1 & FP2
All of the live updates from Friday practice ahead of the F1 US Grand Prix.
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The 2022 F1 world title might be decided after Max Verstappen clinched the drivers’ crown in Japan last time out, but there’s still plenty at stake and many talking points both off and on the track.
Red Bull can clinch the F1 world constructors’ title at the Circuit of the Americas, while the team is under the spotlight following its breach of the F1 cost cap and what potential penalties, if any, could follow.
Elsewhere, Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez will battle for the runner-up spot in the drivers’ standings, with just a point separating the pair with four races to go.
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Summary
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Summary
- Leclerc tops mixed up F1 US GP second practice
- 2023 Pirelli tyre test run in FP2
- Sainz fastest in FP1 from Verstappen and Hamilton
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Leaderboard
- Leclerc, Ferrari
- Bottas, Alfa Romeo
- Ricciardo, McLaren
- Sainz, Ferrari
- Schumacher, Haas
- Norris, McLaren
- Verstappen, Red Bull
- Hamilton, Mercedes
- Gasly, AlphaTauri
- Perez, Red Bull
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Thank you to those of you who stuck with us through the mammoth new tyre testing session, which was far from a classic. The focus switches back to 2022 on Saturday and we shall be back with live text coverage of FP3 from just before 8pm UK time. Bye for now.
Breaking news
Here's our round-up of that distinctly unusual session:
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/united-states-gp-fp2/10387833/
For what it's worth, Leclerc, Bottas and Ricciardo headed the way on the 2022 rubber, while Sainz, Schumacher and Norris are the quickest on the 2023 tyres.
We got to enjoy a few entertaining power slides from the drivers and some entertainment in the pits, but it was far from a classic as the testing of Pirelli's 2023 tyres meant the times were meaningless.
Checkered flag
And that's it, folks! The chequered flag has now appeared on this session with just three cars still circulating.
There's some amusement on the pitwall as Gunther Steiner is left chuckling as a couple of fans are pictured wearing t-shirts with his face emblazoned on. That's the most notable event in this session in the last quarter of an hour, we're afraid.
We're now down to four cars out on track with 10 minutes to go, just Leclerc, Ricciardo, Magnussen and Stroll that are continuing to pound around the Circuit of the Americas.
Some of the teams are now packing up for the day, including down at Aston Martin, where Vettel's car is in many pieces ready for the end of the day. With the sun setting, it could be a metaphor for the whole F1 season.
Another problem now is the setting sun, with the lower rays shining directly into the drivers' eyes through some of the corners.
For those still following, there's just eight cars out on track now with 20 minutes to go: Bottas, Ricciardo, Sainz, Schumacher, Russell, Zhou, Stroll and Latifi. And four of those are drivers that are able to conduct extra running in this session on 2022 tyres having sat out FP1.
Just like his Red Bull team-mate, Perez is another driver out of his car, while it's Christian Horner's turn to speak to Brad Pitt.
We mentioned Brad Pitt earlier and he's now chatting in the Red Bull garage to Max Verstappen - who is out of his car and has perhaps already completed his 2023 Pirelli running.
There's a huge spread in terms of compound and fuel loads being used - all specified by Pirelli - here as Vettel, whose team-mate was fourth fastest in the conventional FP1 earlier, is 5s off the pace and 3.6s behind the quickest 2023 tyre runner.
Right, let's have a rundown of the order now we've got half an hour of this session remaining. Leclerc, Bottas and Ricciardo lead the way - but have used 2022 rubber - and then it's Sainz, Schumacher and Norris on the 2023 test rubber. Currently, there's very few green sector times being set so any changes to that top six appear unlikely right now.
Next to enjoy a huge slide is Alonso in the Alpine! But as with all the others - so far - he's able to correct it and continue on his way.
There really is some unusual rubber going on as there's some huge sparks as what looks like some wet weather tyres are put on Perez's car in these bone dry conditions!
Breaking news
While this session has not been the most gripping because of the tyre situation, here's some breaking news. F1 is set to introduce its own series for female drivers, set to be at F4-level and for younger drivers than W Series.
Here's the story: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1-to-launch-female-only-series-for-younger-drivers/10387852/
Hamilton has quite a moment as he heads through the penultimate corner. He runs wide across the astroturf which causes his car to snap sideways and he has to fight back control. The Mercedes driver is currently eighth in the times, for what it's worth.
There's now unlikely to be any major changes to the top of the times, as Leclerc, Bottas and Ricciardo are now also on the test Pirelli tyres rather than the 2022 rubber.
For those enjoying the new tyre fun, we've now got just under an hour of this session remaining. The fastest driver on the 2023 Pirellis is Sainz, 1.4s behind Leclerc, but the next quickest is Schumacher - some 2.7s adrift of the Ferrari pacesetter. All this suggests it's a harder compound of rubber being used here, we hope.
Leclerc is the latest to enjoy an impressive slide, this time through the Esses, as the Ferrari driver continues on the medium tyres.
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"Something big is loose around my pedals," reports Magnussen - who does not sound impressed.
Bottas is now up to second, but is still 0.7s slower than Leclerc
Speaking of the pits, FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem is in the Mercedes garage with Toto Wolff - possibly more cost cap chat there?
Woah, that was close! Replays have just shown Norris enjoying a huge slide as he came steaming into the pits and only just kept it out of the barriers! Most dramatic moment of the session so far.
Ricciardo meanwhile is up to second - remember he's another of the drivers who is able to use 2022 rubber for part of this session. As is Bottas, who is now up to third.
"Hamilton has no mirrors today," moans Alonso, who is repeatedly blocked by the Mercedes driver on his latest lap.
For those desperately wondering, Stroll has now headed out on track for the first time in this session on the development tyres.
Verstappen is also now up to sixth, but 2.8s behind Leclerc's time - these clearly aren't particularly quick tyres Pirelli has produced for the teams here.
Norris is the first non-Ferrari driver to register a notable improvement, as the McLaren racer jumps up to fifth, just behind team-mate Ricciardo.
And that's a very impressive time from Leclerc as it's quicker than Sainz's session-topping time on the softs from earlier in FP1. Some good pace from the Ferrari driver, who is now unable to catch Verstappen in the standings.
Stopwatch
Leclerc, now on the mediums, has just gone even quicker and is almost 2s faster than second-placed Sainz!
Replays have just shown Hamilton's DRS repeatedly opening and closing as he heads along the straight - that's not supposed to happen!
Stopwatch
Meanwhile, Leclerc is now back on top in this intra-Ferrari battle with a 1m37.614s, still on the softs, putting him a second faster than Sainz.
All the drivers have now headed out on track with the exception of Stroll, who was fourth quickest for Aston Martin in FP1.
Stopwatch
Sainz has now gone to the top of the times on the mystery tyres, just 0.093s faster than Leclerc's previous effort. Bottas is third, Hamilton fourth, from Ricciardo and Verstappen.
Just for reference, we do know what tyre Leclerc has used for his run, it's the soft. He's able to use that because Ferrari put Shwartzman in the car in the earlier session, meaning the team is allowed to both 2022 and 2023 rubber in FP3.
Stopwatch
Before Leclerc obliterates that and sets a 1m38.856s on his opening effort.
Stopwatch
That is quickly bettered by Ricciardo, who is fractionally quicker on a 1m40.474s.
Stopwatch
And it is Bottas who is the first to post a time, it's a 1m40.655s.
By: autosport.com
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