Hamilton tops final practice at United States Grand Prix ahead of Verstappen and Leclerc
Lewis Hamilton set the fastest lap in the third practice session for the U.S. Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc close behind, as drivers contended with track-limit violations.
Lewis Hamilton recorded the quickest time in the final practice session for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas, posting a 1:34.893 on soft tyres. Max Verstappen was second, a tenth slower, while Charles Leclerc completed the top three with a 1:35.127 on medium tyres.
Hamilton broke the 1:35 barrier in the last twenty minutes of the session, improving on Verstappen's earlier 1:35.061 lap. Leclerc's pace remained strong despite several laps being deleted for exceeding track limits at Turns 9 and 10. The session saw multiple drivers, including Liam Lawson and Oscar Piastri, set competitive times, but track-limit infractions affected several top-qualifying attempts.
Mercedes driver Antonio Antonelli placed fourth, followed by teammate George Russell in fifth. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was sixth, and Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg seventh after Lando Norris’s lap was also invalidated for a track-limit breach. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar rounded out the top ten.
The results set up a closely contested qualifying session, with Ferrari having led each of the earlier practice periods.