Charles Leclerc finished the second FP2 session fastest, followed by Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas and McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo. All three drivers ran the current 2022 spec tyres. They were allowed to do so because they sat out the first practice session.
The second free practice session of the US Grand Prix weekend ran for 90 minutes. Thirty extra minutes were added to the session as teams followed the practice plans set by Pirelli. The times posted didn’t represent the grid’s genuine pace. On the prototype tyres, Carlos Sainz was fastest than the rest of the grid on these same tyres. Sainz’s fastest time was still 1.422 seconds slower than Leclerc’s time.
FIA President visited the Paddock on Friday
After five drivers sat out of the first practice session, the standard 2022 driver’s lineup participated in FP2. The most entertaining moment came not on the track but in the pitlane when FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem was spotted chatting with Christian Horner in Red Bull’s team garage. Red Bull has been guilty of a minor breach of FIA’s budget cap rule.
A lot of speculation is going around the paddock on how much fine Red Bull will incur. Most people believe Red Bull won’t lose any driver’s or constructors’ points. The most severe penalty expected would be a reduction in wind tunnel time for the team. After meeting with Horner, the FIA president also visited the Mercedes garage, where he chatted with team boss Toto Wolff.
Times in FP2 are not representative of the true pace of all teams
The notable moment on the track was Lando Norris’s narrow escape from hitting the wall after entering the pitlane.
Lewis Hamilton pushed the car and ran wide at Turn 19. Kevin Magnussen complained of something getting loose inside the car and dancing between his legs.
The third and final Practice session on Saturday would see the drivers finding the desired setup for the race. The times they will post in FP3 would also indicate the actual pace of every car for Sunday.
FP2 Classification
| 1. Charles Leclerc |
| 2. Valtteri Bottas |
| 3. Daniel Ricciardo |
| 4. Carlos Sainz |
| 5. Mick Schumacher |
| 6. Lando Norris |
| 7. Max Verstappen |
| 8. Lewis Hamilton |
| 9. Pierre Gasly |
| 10. Sergio Perez |
| 11. Kevin Magnussen |
| 12. Yuki Tsunoda |
| 13. George Russell |
| 14. Zhou Guanyu |
| 15. Lance Stroll |
| 16. Estaban Ocon |
| 17. Fernando Alonso |
| 18. Alex Albon |
| 19. Sebastian Vettel |
| 20. Nicholas Latifi |
| Ferrari |
| Alfa Romeo |
| McLaren |
| Ferrari |
| Haas |
| McLaren |
| Red Bull |
| Mercedes |
| Alpha Tauri |
| Red Bull |
| Haas |
| Alpha Tauri |
| Mercedes |
| Alfa Romeo |
| Aston Martin |
| Alpine |
| Alpine |
| Williams |
| Aston Martin |
| Williams |
| 1:36.810 |
| +0.715 |
| +0.817 |
| +1.422 |
| +2.697 |
| +2.737 |
| +2.765 |
| +2.888 |
| +3.03 |
| +3.042 |
| +3.274 |
| +3.368 |
| +3.752 |
| +3.854 |
| +3.996 |
| +4.5 |
| +4.524 |
| +5.043 |
| +5.047 |
| +5.507 |
