UNITED STATES GP – Sergio Perez sets pace by quarter of a second ahead of Lando Norris in FP2
Sergio Perez was fastest going a quarter of a second faster than Lando Norris in the second practice for the United States Grand Prix. The Mexican set a 34.946 which put him three tenths faster than his teammate’s championship rival Lewis Hamilton, with it predicted to be another close battle in qualifying.
Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas was fourth fastest almost a tenth further behind. While the seven-times champion’s title rival Max Verstappen had a mix session, he appeared to struggle to find space and set a flying lap leaving him down in eighth. McLaren was expected to be good in Austin, and Norris’s teammate Daniel Ricciardo was fifth half a second off the outright pace.
Red Bull had been dominated by Mercedes in FP1, but Verstappen turned a nine-tenths deficit into a three and a half tenth lead. However, Hamilton’s fastest time which would have put him fastest was deleted for exceeding track limits. Verstappen finished the session eighth.
This could lead to an interesting qualifying session tomorrow evening, Mercedes often manages to find more pace overnight. But in a season where its difficult to predict who has the advantage, it could lead to a tight qualifying.
Daniel Ricciardo was fifth fastest almost a tenth behind Bottas, but the McLaren driver was just over a tenth faster than Lance Stroll. Ferrari were expected to be slightly further behind in Austin, with Charles Leclerc seventh fastest and six tenths off the pace.
Ferrari could look to be on the back foot in their championship fight, Leclerc four-tenths faster than the fastest McLaren. His teammate Carlos Sainz a further quarter of a second behind in ninth behind Verstappen, while Antonio Giovinazzi tenth.
Verstappen appeared to get increasingly frustrated by the traffic and aborted his flying lap. Earlier in the session, Verstappen and Hamilton had raced through the final corner and down the pit straight, then continuing side-be-side into the tightening uphill left of Turn One, a situation where Verstappen was told by Red Bull to “ignore” Hamilton’s move to get ahead.
The Dutchman currently leads Hamilton by six points with a hundred and fifty-nine to play for. Bottas has a five-place grid penalty for using too many engine parts following an engine change.
During the long runs, there were a few questions about tyre life, the data raising questions about the race being a one or two stop. Esteban Ocon was eleventh fastest going two tenths faster than teammate Fernando Alonso, the Alpine drivers spilt by the Alpha Tauri of Pierre Gasly.
Alonso in the closing part of the session had spun the car at the penultimate corner, but managed to avoid any major damage. Kimi Raikkonen put his Alfa Romeo fourteenth going over a tenth and a half quicker than Sebastian Vettel. Yuki Tsunoda was eight tenths behind his teammate Gasly.
Mick Schumacher was seventh two tenths ahead of the Williams of Nicolas Latifi and George Russell, Schumacher’s teammate Nikita Mazepin rounding out the field.