Leclerc wary Ferrari's Friday edge may not carry into Austin qualifying

Charles Leclerc topped both Friday practice sessions at the Circuit of the Americas, but he is wary Ferrari's advantage may not carry into qualifying. Mercedes and Red Bull were close behind on the timesheets, and Leclerc said rivals usually push harder as qualifying approaches.

Leclerc said the small gap meant Saturday's qualifying would not be easy. Ferrari still had a little more performance available, he said, while other teams seemed to gain more from Friday to Saturday.

Ferrari brought upgrades to Austin, mainly to the floor. Leclerc described them as a small step and said the car's good balance from the start of the weekend was the standout feature of Friday.