FORMULA 1
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 IMAGE: Getty Images/Clive Mason Lando Norris goes fastest in FP1 in Austin in the one and only practice session of the weekend. The Brit put in a great lap in the final stages, with a 1:33.294 on the board when the chequered flags flew. Nico Hulkenberg impressed in the Kick Sauber machinery today as he came home second fastest with championship leader Oscar Piastri rounding out the top three - 0.279s behind Norris. As it happened Green light at the end of the pit lane for the only Practice session of the weekend as the Sprint Race format means drivers need to gather all their data they need now before Sprint Qualifying later on this evening (4.30pm local time). It was Max Verstappen who was first out onto the track and a queue of cars followed as they all vied to get as much time out on track as possible. Most teams had opted to put their drivers on the hard compound tyres for the early laps but Aston Martin chose to change things up and Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll emerged from the garage with the medium tyres fitted. Just over ten minutes of the session gone and Carlos Sainz was on top for Williams with a 1:37.486 - the Spanish driver having a great run of form recently with a podium finish in Azerbaijan. It was then Verstappen who shot to the top of the times, the Dutchman setting a 1:35.426 with Russell sitting a tenth behind him in P2. Lance Stroll had a moment at Turn 19 and debris flew off the back of his car as he rejoined the track which ultimately brought out the red flags due to it landing on the racing line and action was paused for around five minutes. With precious running time lost, green flags were waved again once the track was all clear and Alex Albon lead the pack back out onto the track and it was Lewis Hamilton at the top of the timesheets after 20 minutes of the session with a 1:34.857. Sainz suffered what looked like a gearbox issue after a great first half of the session and was forced to box so mechanics could get to work on the car. An unfortunate turn in the Spaniard's session who was out of the car for the time being which put him on the back foot. The latter stages were not as eventful as the first, but some drivers used the closing 10 minutes to swap to the soft compound tyres (C4) and do some qualifying simulations ahead of Sprint Qualifying. Charles Leclerc was amongst those out on track, but had to come back into the pits in the final stages of the session after saying on the radio that he could smell oil. Despite saying that he didn't feel this circuit would suit the Aston Martin machinery, Alonso enjoyed a brief stay at the top after putting in a great lap to go just nine thousandths of a second quicker than Verstappen as Hulkenberg moved into third place. In the end it was tight at the top, Norris came over the line to go fastest with a 1:33.294 which dethroned Alonso from the top spot. Hulkenberg bettered his time at the last minute and put himself into second place with an impressive time that left him just 0.255 seconds behind the McLaren. Piastri came home in P3 - just under three tenths of a second behind his teammate in P1 and Alonso ended up settling for fourth. Verstappen followed in P5 with Albon slotting in behind for sixth. George Russell took seventh ahead of Hamilton in P8 as Isack Hadjar and Ollie Bearman rounded out the top 10. Be sure to tune into Sprint Qualifying later on this evening at 10.30pm for UK viewers or at 4.30pm local time as the grid is set ahead of tomorrow's Sprint.  Katie Shepherd
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