F1 United States GP: Perez tops FP2, traffic leaves Verstappen eighth
Sergio Perez topped FP2 at Formula 1’s 2021 US Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton third after losing a faster time running too wide and traffic problems leaving Max Verstappen eighth.


Hamilton’s 1m34.842s would have edged him ahead of Perez by 0.104s, but going beyond the accepted track limits at the penultimate corner on a qualifying simulation run mid-way through the second 60-minute session cost the world champion the top spot and left the Red Bull heading the times with a 1m34.946s.
In sweltering conditions at the Circuit of the Americas, the pack initially emerged on the harder compounds – with Antonio Giovinazzi establishing the first place benchmark at 1m38.355s on the medium tyres.
Esteban Ocon, Kimi Raikkonen and Lance Stroll all enjoyed brief stints in first place during the initial running, before FP1 pacesetter Valtteri Bottas used the yellow-walled rubber to bring the fastest time down to a 1m38.887s.
A few minutes later he was deposed by Perez’s 1m35.883 and the pair continued to trade best times over the next section of the session, with Perez’s 1m35.716s set approaching the 15-minute mark then holding the top spot until the drivers began to switch to the softs.
Stroll led the way, moving into first place on a 1m35.561s for Aston Martin just past the 20-minute mark.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB16B
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Bottas then went back to the top spot on a 1m35.360s, but this was considerably slower than Hamilton’s best – set a few minutes later.
But after Hamilton had been stripped of his first lap on the softs, he stayed on it and eventually posted a best effort of 1m35.310s – the red-walled rubber a long way past its best after completing a second, slow cooldown lap in the hot conditions.
Before Hamilton post a legal lap on the softs, Perez had retaken the top spot just before the 30-minute with his 1m34.946s, with Norris then slotting into second on his flying effort on the softs to wind up 0.257s adrift.
Norris had had to return to the pits for a spell in the early stages after he reported “something loose around my elbow” that meant he could not “turn properly”.
Red Bull never got to see how Verstappen would slot into the battle at the top of the times, as the Dutchman abandoned his soft-tyre run – frustrated with his team’s traffic management.
Verstappen was preparing to begin a flying lap on the softs when several cars moved ahead of him and he was forced to complete another preparation lap – after which he set the session’s best time in the first sector before backing off and pitting after running into the traffic that had jumped ahead of him and those cars then on cooldown laps back to the pits.

Lando Norris, McLaren MCL35M
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
The current championship leader angrily told Red Bull he was “boxing – fuck this” to concentrate on his upcoming long running as he was “over this short run”.
Earlier in the session, Verstappen and Hamilton had raced through the final corner and down the pit straight, then continuing side-be-side into the tightening uphill left of Turn 1 – a situation where Verstappen was told by Red Bull to “ignore” Hamilton’s move to get ahead.
The order stayed stable during the long running that concluded FP2, where the teams gathered useful data on tyre longevity to understand whether they can get through the race on a one or two stopper in the Texas heat.
Bottas took fourth ahead of Daniel Ricciardo, with Stroll shuffled down to sixth ahead of Charles Leclerc and Verstappen – who’s best lap remained his fastest from the medium tyre running in the early stages.
Carlos Sainz Jr and Giovinazzi rounded out the top 10.
The end of the session featured Fernando Alonso spinning off at the penultimate corner with just over three minutes to go – the Alpine driver, 13th in the final FP2 standings, shooting off backwards at the fast left-hander after touching the kerbs on the outside.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
With a tailwind pushing the cars into that corner, Alonso was quickly turned around and he skidded rearwards through the asphalt runoff and then gravel, tapping the barriers as he ground to a smoking halt and picking up minor endplate damage on his rear wing.
Giovinazzi also stopped inside the final corner as the cars returned to the pits at the close of the session before he turned sharply left and toured back towards the Alfa Romeo garage at slow speed.
Cla | Driver | Laps | Time | Gap | Interval | km/h |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | |
24 | 1'34.946 | 209.032 | ||
2 | |
20 | 1'35.203 | 0.257 | 0.257 | 208.468 |
3 | |
22 | 1'35.310 | 0.364 | 0.107 | 208.234 |
4 | |
24 | 1'35.360 | 0.414 | 0.050 | 208.125 |
5 | |
21 | 1'35.457 | 0.511 | 0.097 | 207.913 |
6 | |
25 | 1'35.561 | 0.615 | 0.104 | 207.687 |
7 | |
23 | 1'35.572 | 0.626 | 0.011 | 207.663 |
8 | |
23 | 1'35.824 | 0.878 | 0.252 | 207.117 |
9 | |
24 | 1'35.919 | 0.973 | 0.095 | 206.912 |
10 | |
26 | 1'36.138 | 1.192 | 0.219 | 206.440 |
View full results |
Related video

Mercedes dismisses Red Bull "noise" on F1 straightline device
F1 Grand Prix practice results: Bottas, Perez fastest in Austin

Latest news
Why Vasseur isn't wielding the axe on Ferrari's F1 strategy team
As Ferrari reflected on the lost opportunities of the 2022 Formula 1 season, it did not take a genius to understand that strategy had been one of its core weaknesses.
Winward Mercedes replaces injured Auer with Morad for Daytona 24
Lucas Auer will sit out the Daytona 24 Hours after suffering back injuries in practice and will be replaced by GT4 racer Daniel Morad at Winward Mercedes.
The big question concerning IMSA's new LMDh cars on their debut
The new LMDh era finally begins in earnest this weekend with the IMSA SportsCar Championship curtain-raiser at Daytona. The prospect of multiple marques going all guns blazing for victory over 24 hours is a salivating one for fans of sportscar racing, but what are the chances of the new hybrid machines (known as GTP cars Stateside) proving reliable enough to win on debut?
WRC developing experimental propulsion class
The World Rally Championship is developing a new demonstration class that will allow manufacturers and teams to develop and experiment with alternative propulsion methods.
Why Vasseur relishes 'feeling the pressure' as Ferrari's F1 boss
OPINION: Fred Vasseur has spent only a few weeks as team principal for the Ferrari Formula 1 team, but is already intent on taking the Scuderia back to the very top. And despite it being arguably the most demanding job in motorsport, the Frenchman is relishing the challenge
The crucial tech changes F1 teams must adapt to in 2023
Changes to the regulations for season two of Formula 1's ground-effects era aim to smooth out last year’s troubles and shut down loopholes. But what areas have been targeted, and what impact will this have?
Are these the 50 quickest drivers in F1 history?
Who are the quickest drivers in Formula 1 history? LUKE SMITH asked a jury of experienced and international panel of experts and F1 insiders. Some of them have worked closely with F1’s fastest-ever drivers – so who better to vote on our all-time top 50? We’re talking all-out speed here rather than size of trophy cabinet, so the results may surprise you…
One easy way the FIA could instantly improve F1
OPINION: During what is traditionally a very quiet time of year in the Formula 1 news cycle, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been generating headlines. He’s been commenting on massive topics in a championship that loves them, but also addressing necessary smaller changes too. Here we suggest a further refinement that would be a big boon to fans
How can McLaren keep hold of Norris?
Lando Norris is no longer the young cheeky-chappy at McLaren; he’s now the established ace. And F1's big guns will come calling if the team can’t give him a competitive car. Here's what the team needs to do to retain its prize asset
What difference did F1's fastest pitstops of 2022 make?
While a quick pitstop can make all the difference to the outcome of a Formula 1 race, most team managers say consistency is more important than pure speed. MATT KEW analyses the fastest pitstops from last season to see which ones – if any – made a genuine impact
When F1 ‘holiday’ races kept drivers busy through the winter
Modern Formula 1 fans have grown accustomed to a lull in racing during winter in the northern hemisphere. But, as MAURICE HAMILTON explains, there was a time when teams headed south of the equator rather than bunkering down in the factory. And why not? There was fun to be had, money to be made and reputations to forge…
What Porsche social media frenzy says about F1’s manufacturer allure
Porsche whipped up a frenzy thanks to a cryptic social media post last week and, although it turned out to be a false alarm, it also highlighted why manufacturers remain such an important element in terms of the attraction that they bring to F1. It is little wonder that several other manufacturers are bidding for a slice of the action
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.