Session Overview

Lewis Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, concluded the third and final practice session for the United States Grand Prix with the fastest time, securing the top of the timesheets ahead of prominent competitors Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc.

This session capped off a complete practice sweep for the Scuderia Ferrari team, with Kimi Antonelli and George Russell from Mercedes rounding out the top five positions.

Session Highlights

The practice session commenced quietly at 12:30 local time, with only Sergio Perez from Cadillac, Gabriel Bortoleto from Audi, and Franco Colapinto from Alpine taking to the track initially. Notably, Colapinto and Bortoleto face grid penalties, while Perez skipped the first practice due to teammate Colton Herta’s run for the American team.

Charles Leclerc had previously dominated Friday’s practices but tempered expectations, warning that rivals had more potential to unlock. However, Max Verstappen quickly set a benchmark time of 1m 35.702s on medium tires as the clock reached the 20-minute mark.

Key Performances

Antonelli pushed himself into third place behind McLaren’s Oscar Piastri shortly thereafter. Initial laps from Lando Norris and Leclerc were invalidated due to track limit violations—a recurring issue, as 128 laps were deleted in FP2. Hamilton then took charge with a time that surpassed Verstappen’s, aided by the softer tire compound.

Later in the session, an incident occurred involving Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg and Lance Stroll, prompting stewards to announce a post-session investigation.

Midway Developments

At the halfway mark of FP3, Leclerc returned to the forefront, clocking a 1m 35.127s lap on medium tires, faster than his previous efforts from Friday. Behind him were Antonelli, Hamilton, and Verstappen, who expressed concerns over the shifting performance of his car.

As drivers continued to push their limits, Hamilton became the first to break into the 1m 34s and dethroned Verstappen for the top spot. Leclerc’s subsequent lap put him briefly back in first but was ultimately deleted for track violations.

Final Outcome

As the session concluded with the chequered flag, Hamilton’s impressive time of 1m 34.893s ensured his position at the top. Verstappen followed in second, while Leclerc slid to third due to his deleted lap.

The remaining order included Mercedes’ Antonelli and Russell in fourth and fifth places, respectively, followed by Piastri from McLaren and Hulkenberg from Audi. Norris struggled in eighth place as multiple drivers also faced challenges with handling, while Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar rounded out the top ten.

The day ended with rookies Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad further down the standings, leading into a challenging race day for several teams, including disappointments for Williams as Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz placed in 19th and 20th respectively.

Looking Ahead

Now that practice sessions have concluded, drivers and teams are shifting their focus to Qualifying, scheduled to begin at 16:00 local time.