Finland's Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes), with a new engine and therefore the certainty of a penalty on the starting grid of the United States GP on Sunday, set the best time in the first free practice session on Friday, just ahead his teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Preamble heralding the weekend in Austin?
On the circuit of the Americas (5.513 km), the scene of the 17th round of 22, the Silver Arrows were untouchable.
Bottas relegated Hamilton to 045 / 1000th.
The Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull), who is six points ahead of the Englishman in the race for the title of world champion, clocked the third fastest time, at 932 / 1000th.
Alonso stopped, Leclerc at fault
The first hour of testing was reduced to 50 minutes, after being almost stopped at the start by a gearbox problem which immobilized Fernando Alonso (Alpine) on the track.
Shortly after, the Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) made him exit the track without damage.
All the more so since he succeeded in the 4th time, at 1 sec 460 / 1000th, ahead of his teammate, the Spaniard Carlos Sainz Jr. The French Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri) achieved the 6th fastest time, at 1 sec. 737 / 1000th.
At the end of the session, Sergio Perez (Red Bull) clashed slightly with Mick Schumacher (Haas-Ferrari) during braking in a 12 turn. The Mexican, who unsuccessfully tried to overtake on the inside, treated the German “idiot”, reproaching him for “not looking in his mirrors”.
Friday afternoon will take place the second free practice session (3:00 p.m. local, 10:00 p.m. French), Saturday the third (1:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m. French) followed by qualifying (4:00 p.m., 11:00 p.m. French). F1 is making its return to the circuit of the Americas, two years after the previous United States GP, last year's edition having been canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Results of the first free practice session
:
Valtteri Bottas (FIN / Mercedes) 1: 34.874 (17 laps)
Lewis Hamilton (GBR / Mercedes) 1: 34.919 (18)
Max Verstappen (NED / Red Bull-Honda) 1: 35.806 (16)
Charles Leclerc (MON / Ferrari) 1: 36.334 (18)
Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP / Ferrari) 1: 36.508 (20)
Pierre Gasly (FRA / AlphaTauri-Honda) 1: 36.611 (18)
Sergio Pérez (MEX / Red Bull-Honda) 1: 36.798 (20)
Lando Norris (GBR / McLaren-Mercedes) 1: 36.855 (11)
Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA / Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari) 1: 36.874 (18)
Kimi Räikkönen (FIN / Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari) 1: 36.876 (18)
George Russell (GBR / Williams-Mercedes) 1: 36.966 (19)
Esteban Ocon (FRA / Alpine-Renault) 1: 36.970 (22)
Lance Stroll (CAN / Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1: 36.972 (20)
Sebastian Vettel (GER / Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1: 36.982 (20)
Fernando Alonso (ESP / Alpine-Renault) 1: 37.068 (12)
Daniel Ricciardo ( AUS / McLaren-Mercedes) 1: 37.458 (18)
Nicholas Latifi (CAN / Williams-Mercedes) 1: 37.463 (19)
Yuki Tsunoda (JPN / AlphaTauri-Honda) 1: 37.954 (22)
Mick Schumacher (GER / Haas-Ferrari ) 1: 38.866 (17)
Nikita Mazepin (RUS / Haas-Ferrari) 1: 42.239 (19)
