F1 Results Today: Lando Norris Makes Championship-Defining Statement as Ferrari’s United States GP Turns Into a Nightmare
Lando Norris sent a powerful message to his title rivals in Austin, topping the timing charts in Friday’s lone practice session for the 2025 United States Grand Prix. The McLaren driver looked untouchable around the Circuit of the Americas, finishing over a quarter of a second clear of his teammate and main championship rival, Oscar Piastri.
With only six races left in the season, the battle for the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship is heating up — and Norris has made it clear that he’s not backing down. The Brit, who currently trails Piastri in the standings, showed blistering pace from the outset, putting in a lap of 1:33.294 seconds to take the top spot and set the tone for the weekend.
Nico Hulkenberg pulled off a stunning performance to secure second place for Kick Sauber, just 0.255s behind Norris, reminding the paddock of his skill and consistency. Piastri followed closely in third, 0.279s adrift, unable to match his teammate’s raw speed despite McLaren’s dominance this season.
Fourth place went to Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, who managed an impressive run, followed by Max Verstappen in fifth for Red Bull. Verstappen, who has been steadily clawing back points in the championship after a difficult start to the season, seemed slightly off the pace but remained within striking distance. His 0.354-second gap to Norris will keep him optimistic heading into qualifying.
Meanwhile, Ferrari endured a disastrous session that will have the team worried ahead of the all-important qualifying and sprint sessions. Charles Leclerc’s afternoon was cut short after his SF-25 developed a major gearbox problem. The Monegasque driver reported over team radio that he couldn’t shift into seventh gear and that he smelled oil in the cockpit — a clear sign of mechanical trouble. Moments later, Ferrari instructed him to return to the pits, where he stepped out of the car visibly frustrated.
His teammate, Carlos Sainz, didn’t fare much better. The Spaniard was brought into the garage less than halfway through the session due to a suspected gearbox issue, ending his run early. For Ferrari, who have been struggling to keep up with McLaren and Red Bull this season, the session could not have gone worse — both cars finishing in the bottom two positions, with Sainz 19th and Leclerc dead last in 20th.
Elsewhere on the grid, there were other small dramas throughout the session. A brief red flag halted proceedings after around 20 minutes when debris flew off Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin at Turn 19. Marshals quickly cleared the track, and the session resumed without major delay. Stroll would later finish 14th, just ahead of Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson.
Esteban Ocon, running with Haas, also encountered a technical issue that forced him into the pits, cutting short his program. His teammate, Ollie Bearman, continued Haas’s steady progress with a solid 10th-place finish — a commendable result for the rookie, who continues to impress in his debut season.
Williams enjoyed a mixed session. Alex Albon delivered a strong performance to finish sixth, once again showing his knack for maximizing the car’s potential, while Sainz (driving for Williams under a one-off technical partnership this weekend) was sidelined early due to his gearbox issues.
Mercedes, on the other hand, seemed to be lacking top-end pace. George Russell finished seventh, just ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who is still adapting to life at Ferrari after his high-profile switch earlier this year. Both drivers struggled with balance and grip in the high-speed corners of COTA, leaving the team with setup work to do before qualifying.
The midfield battle also saw promising outings from several young drivers. Isack Hadjar impressed once again for Racing Bulls, placing ninth, while Gabriel Bortoleto in the Kick Sauber and Yuki Tsunoda in the Red Bull finished 12th and 13th respectively.
Complete FP1 Classification – United States Grand Prix 2025:
1. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1:33.294
2. Nico Hulkenberg (Kick Sauber) – +0.255
3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – +0.279
4. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – +0.345
5. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +0.354
6. Alex Albon (Williams) – +0.626
7. George Russell (Mercedes) – +0.637
8. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – +0.671
9. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – +0.861
10. Ollie Bearman (Haas) – +1.039
11. Esteban Ocon (Haas) – +1.074
12. Gabriel Bortoleto (Kick Sauber) – +1.184
13. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) – +1.237
14. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – +1.316
15. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – +1.325
16. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – +1.359
17. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – +1.371
18. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – +1.443
19. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – +2.580
20. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +2.786
With the championship fight entering its most intense phase, Norris’s dominant showing in Austin has put both Piastri and Verstappen on notice. McLaren once again looks like the team to beat, while Ferrari’s troubles underline just how far the Scuderia still has to go to return to title-winning form.
The focus now shifts to qualifying, where Norris will be hoping to carry his momentum forward and tighten the gap to Piastri in the drivers’ standings — and perhaps, make an even stronger statement in the Texas heat.
