Charles Leclerc was pleased that Formula 1 was back in the United States for the first time since 2019 on Friday, with the Monegasque racer delighted to see the fans back in the grandstands in their droves.
The Scuderia Ferrari driver says the bumps around the Circuit of the Americas made it a tricky day of practice, and Leclerc says he will be looking to find a more optimal set-up ahead of Saturday’s Qualifying session.
Leclerc ended fourth fastest in the morning session on Friday but slipped to seventh in the afternoon, and on top of getting a better set-up, he knows he will need to work hard on tyre conservation, particularly with warm conditions expected to remain all weekend long.
“It feels great to be back in the United States,” said Leclerc. “The atmosphere here is always so special, both at the circuit and around the city of Austin. Everyone is really friendly and enthusiastic and it’s been great to already see fans waving their flags and supporting us in the grandstands today.
“In terms of our sessions, we ran through the planned programme, testing a bit of everything. What was challenging were the bumps on the track which made it very tricky to drive.