#F1 #USGP #FP1: @LandoNorris quickest ahead of @HulkHulkenberg by 0.255s.
Lando Norris, #4, McLaren Formula 1 Team-Mercedes, MCL39, Free Practice 1, Formula 1 MSC Cruises United States Grand Prix 2025, Circuit of The Americas, Austin, Texas. Image credit to Clive Mason/Getty Images. Norris US GP FP1, 2025 US GP FP1, US GP FP1 Results, Formula 1 US FP1, F1 US GP FP1.
Norris US GP FP1 – Lando Norris was fastest in the sole practice session at the US GP ahead of Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg who split the McLaren pairing in second as championship leader Oscar Piastri completed the top three in the other MCL39 entry.
Norris set the benchmark on the red side-walled C4 softer compound posting a 1:33.294 seconds to be 0.255 seconds clear of Hulkenberg whilst Piastri was a further 0.279 adrift of his team-mate in third.
Verstappen was the first to lead the pack out onto a sweltering 45-degree track-temperature Circuit of the Americas with the C1 white-marked harder compounds.
The reigning world champion was the first to post a 1:38.797, which was pipped by Lawson’s 1:38.730 as Esteban Ocon slotted into third for Haas in-front of team-mate Oliver Bearman.
Yuki Tsunoda in the other RB21 entry moved into third, but Williams’ Carlos Sainz jumped to P1 on a 1:37.486 as Mercedes’ George Russell moved into second with a 1:38.092.
Alexander Albon then put his Williams into fourth as Lawson returned to the top on a 1:37.462 to be 0.024 seconds faster as Norris put his MCL39 entry third with a 1:37.546.
Ferrari’s Sir Lewis Hamilton then went fastest on a 1:36.66 to end up 0.796 seconds clear of the Kiwi at the sixth-minute mark.
RB’s Isack Hadjar slotted into fifth, as Piastri slotted into second place setting a 1:37.339.
Verstappen on his next flyer went quickest on a 1:36.192, as his team-mate Tsunoda moved into second, but both were demoted as Sainz jumped to P1 with a 1:36.130 after a purple final sector to be a slim 0.062 clear.
Albon split the Red Bulls of Verstappen and Tsunoda in fourth as Norris went fastest to be 0.004 seconds clear of Sainz posting a 1:36.126 effort at the tenth-minute mark.
Hamilton went fourth overall to be 0.195 seconds adrift of Norris’s benchmark posting a 1:36.321 despite posting a best opening sector as the drivers all circulated on the harder compounds.
Replays showed Hadjar take avoiding action of the traffic running wide at the penultimate corner.
Verstappen then reclaimed top spot on a 1:35.426 as Sainz was demoted by Tsunoda to make it a Red Bull one-two at this stage and was 0.329 seconds off the Dutchman.
Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg moved up into fourth in the order to be 0.693 seconds adrift of Verstappen’s best effort.
Norris improved with three personal bests to go third and 0.360 off Verstappen as Russell with a purple middle sector moved up to second posting a 1:35.558 to be 0.132 adrift as the session past the first quarter.
Replays showed Hadjar suffer a wild moment through the Esses and locking up at turn 11.
Hamilton was on another flying tour and went fastest on a 1:34.857 to be 0.569 seconds clear of Verstappen with two purple sectors at the 19th-minute mark.
The first red flag of the session was brought out with 21st minute mark after debris was flicked onto the track from Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin.
Replays showed the Canadian lost a part of his AMR25 entry after running wide at the penultimate corner and over the sausage kerb as he re-joined the track.
Following a five-minute delay after the debris was cleared, Albon was the first to emerge on circuit followed by Bearman and Russell as they came back out to gain more data on the harder tyre.
Bearman moved up to tenth with three personal bests to post a 1:36.131 to be 1.274 off Hamilton’s best effort.
Replays showed Sainz ordered to box after a reported gearbox issue as the crew went to work on his FW47 racer.
The entire field continued to do their long race data gathering runs.
Piastri with three personal bests put his MCL39 fourth on the time-sheets after setting a 1:35.647 to end up 0.790 off Hamilton’s best time.
Norris went second fastest on his hot-lap on the hards to be 0.540 seconds off Hamilton after posting a purple sector three and set a 1:35.397.
Replays showed Ocon have a trip into the gravel after suffering a brake issue as the car looked like it could not turn.
“The brake, it stayed at 100% the whole way,” the Frenchman radioed.
Replays showed Hamilton run-off at the turn 11 left-hand hairpin and continued on as the seven-time world champion reported he was struggling with a “slippery” throttle pedal.
The majority of the field began returning to their respective garages after completing their race runs to adjust their setups, put on a set of the C4 red side-walled softer compounds and prepare for their qualifying simulation runs.
Russell and his Mercedes team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli along with Lawson, Leclerc, Hadjar and Hamilton all emerged on the mediums whilst the rest came out on the softs.
Russell, the winner last time out in Singapore, jumped to P1 with a 1:34.675 on the C3’s with two purple sectors to be 0.012 seconds clear of Lawson who slotted into second.
This was short-lived as Tsunoda on the softs went fastest on a 1:34.531 – this was brief as Verstappen went even quicker with a 1:33.648 to be 0.883 seconds ahead.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso went even faster with a 1:33.639 to be a very narrow 0.009 seconds clear of Verstappen as Hamilton slotted into third for a brief moment as Hamilton split Tsunoda and Piastri.
Bearman and Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto on the softs split Hamilton and Tsunoda in sixth and seventh as Hulkenberg jumped to third to end up 0.214 seconds off Alonso’s best effort.
Norris with two purples went to the top on a 1:33.294 to be 0.345 seconds clear of Alonso as replays showed Leclerc suffer an issue and reported an oil smell from his SF-25 entry as the Monegasque driver returned to the pits.
Russell on his next flyer on the mediums with three personal bests moved up into seventh to be 0.637 seconds off Norris’s best effort.
Piastri was next with two personal bests to be 0.279 seconds off team-mate Norris to make it a McLaren one-two.
Hulkenberg with two personal bests split the McLaren’s on his flying lap as the German took second to be o.255 seconds off Norris.
Alonso was next in fourth and in-front of Verstappen who took fifth and Albon who placed sixth.
Singapore GP winner Russell followed in seventh as Hamilton finished eighth overall whilst Hadjar and Bearman completed the top ten.
You can see the full Formula 1 MSC Cruises United States Grand Prix 2025 Free Practice 1 Results Classification at the link: FORMULA 1 MSC CRUISES UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX 2025 – PRACTICE 1
