Lando Norris feels at home in Austin. © APA / CLIVE MASON

Norris secures fastest time in Austin practice

Lando Norris opened the Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend in Austin, Texas, with a fastest practice time.

17 October 2025

From: apa

The McLaren driver was 0,255 seconds faster than German Nico Hülkenberg in the Sauber at the Circuit of The Americas, with temperatures at times exceeding 30 degrees Celsius. World Championship leader Oscar Piastri set the third-fastest lap in Friday's only practice session in the second McLaren. Sprint qualifying (11:30 p.m. CEST) follows.

Fernando Alonso finished fourth in his Aston Martin, while world champion Max Verstappen finished fifth in his Red Bull. Singapore winner George Russell was the better of the two Mercedes drivers in seventh place, followed closely by his former teammate Lewis Hamilton in the Ferrari. His team rival Charles Leclerc finished last, 2,786 seconds behind.

Nico Hülkenberg surprised everyone. © APA / MARK THOMPSON

McLaren has already mathematically won the Constructors' World Championship. In the Drivers' Championship, Piastri is 22 points ahead of Norris. The rivalry between the two was recently heated up in Singapore by a fierce battle. Theoretically, Verstappen still has a chance to win the championship again, given his 63-point deficit.