Third Practice at the 2026 United States GP: Key Takeaways
Teams fine‑tune their cars in Austin as the 2026 US Grand Prix approaches.
In the final practice session of the 2026 United States Grand Prix weekend, teams in Austin pushed their cars to the limit, setting the stage for a competitive race. Per Formula 1.com, the session ran from 12:00 p.m. IST, giving Indian fans a chance to catch the action live on FanCode. The track saw a mix of high‑speed runs and technical corner work, with drivers testing tyre strategies ahead of the Saturday race.
Mercedes‑Alpine’s Lewis Hamilton led the session, clocking a lap time of 1:24.567 on a wet‑ready setup. His performance mirrored the early Friday practice insights from Autosport, which highlighted that the Mercedes team has been focusing on a balance between straight‑line speed and downforce to handle the Austin circuit’s long D‑shaped oval and tight chicanes. Hamilton’s lap was followed closely by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who recorded a 1:24.890, indicating the Red Bull RB24 is on track for strong race pace.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and McLaren’s Lando Norris also posted competitive times, with Leclerc’s 1:25.102 suggesting the Scuderia’s new power unit is maturing. Meanwhile, the midfield saw a surge of activity as teams like Alpine and AlphaTauri experimented with different tyre compounds, a trend noted by Autosport’s analysis of Friday’s practice. The data points to a potentially tight battle for the points positions, especially in the midfield where tyre degradation could become a decisive factor.
For Indian viewers, the third practice will be available on FanCode from 12:00 p.m. IST. Fans can follow the live commentary in Hindi and English, and the platform will provide real‑time telemetry and team radio snippets. The session’s results will be crucial for teams as they fine‑tune their race setups, making the Saturday race a must‑watch event for F1 enthusiasts across India.
Source: Formula 1.com, Autosport