Charles Leclerc set the pace in the opening practice session at the US Grand Prix, with the Ferrari driver posting the fastest time ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. The Circuit of the Americas near Austin was buzzing with activity as teams brought significant upgrade packages to Texas, and the grandstands were already packed to the rafters. With air temperatures sitting at 28 degrees and the track heated to 41 degrees, drivers got straight down to business on the undulating track.

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Ferrari rolled out a substantial update package that included a new underbody, modified sidepods with a smaller air intake, and a fresh diffuser design. McLaren brought aerodynamic tweaks around the front and rear wheels to reduce drag plus a new diffuser, while Red Bull Racing introduced a modified front wing. Racing Bulls arrived with an equally comprehensive Evo package covering underbody, sidepods, front wing and rear wing improvements. Audi showcased optimised front brake ventilation and underbody modifications, Alpine brought a new rear wing, and Cadillac had a different underbody with improved exhaust vents. Mercedes, Williams, Aston Martin and Haas opted to run without new parts this weekend.

Leclerc's Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton finished in P6, while championship leader Kimi Antonelli managed third place but found himself almost half a second down. George Russell had a rough session, spinning his left front tyre at Turn 1 and ending up in the barriers. Max Verstappen looked competitive throughout and briefly went quickest with a 1:35.860 lap time, but his effort was disallowed after running too far off track at Turn 12.

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Verstappen had Tom Hart as his race engineer this weekend rather than his usual Gianpiero Lambiase, and early on the Dutch driver complained about the steering feeling strange in left-hand corners. Meanwhile, the FIA handed out the session's first penalty, with Arvid Lindblad facing at least a five-place grid drop for fitting new engine parts, though the punishment could extend to a back-of-grid start if additional components beyond the combustion engine are required.

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The session showed Ferrari and Red Bull bringing serious firepower to Texas, with both teams clearly focused on maximizing performance this weekend. The packed grandstands reflected Formula 1's booming popularity in America, as fans arrived hours early to secure their spots. With qualifying and the grand prix still to come, Friday's early running offered just a glimpse of what's to come at one of the calendar's most exciting venues.

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