2026 United States Grand Prix: Ferrari's Austin gap

Formula1.com and other outlets reported Ferrari could not turn its Austin practice pace into qualifying, with Charles Leclerc fourth and Lewis Hamilton fifth.

Formula1.com reported that Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc explained why Ferrari could not convert its Austin practice speed into qualifying at the 2026 United States Grand Prix. Autosport and Motorsport.com also reported that Ferrari had set the pace in practice but did not find enough improvement in Q3, leaving Leclerc fourth and Hamilton fifth on the grid at the Circuit of the Americas.

Autosport and Motorsport.com said Leclerc topped both Friday practice sessions, while Hamilton led another session during the weekend. That left Ferrari discussing a qualifying shortfall rather than a race result. Hamilton arrived in Austin third in the drivers' championship on 229 points, while Leclerc was fifth on 215. Hamilton, born on 7 January 1985, is in his 20th Formula 1 season, and Ferrari is competing in its 77th season in the championship.