F1 United States GP live updates – media day

We're going to close up for the evening, now that all the media sessions are done and dusted. Be sure to join us again tomorrow as we bring you free practice and sprint qualifying ahead of this weekend's United States Grand Prix.

Thanks for joining us, and see you tomorrow!

Norris accepts accountability for Piastri clash

In his own media session, Norris accepted the blame for contact with Piastri in Singapore, stating that he didn't want to create a situation where worse consequences were potentially left open.

He added that it was important for McLaren to trust both drivers, stating "that's why we're a stronger team than everyone else".

Norris on the Singapore incident: "The team held me accountable for what happened, which I think is fair, and then we made progress from there on understanding what the repercussions were for myself and to avoid something worse happening than it did.

"The last thing I want is something like that to happen to cause these kind of controversial talks after a race. And at the same time I put just as much risk on me putting myself out of the race as I do whoever I'm racing against whether it's Oscar or anyone else.

"So it's clearly something I want to avoid. It's so been one of my strengths since coming into Formula 1 is avoiding contact in general and keeping myself in the race.

"I think one thing we've always done good as a team is using and progressing with the framework that we have to allow both of us as drivers to trust each other and the team, and that's a lot of the reason for why we're a stronger team than everyone else."

Lando Norris, McLaren

Photo by: Jim Watson / AFP via Getty Images

Piastri: McLaren decided Singapore clash "not how we want to go racing"

Oscar Piastri explained the fallout from Singapore, where he and Lando Norris made contact at Turn 3 on the opening lap. Norris touched Verstappen, and then ended up touching Piastri as he got past for third.

Piastri says that McLaren has reviewed the incident and says that Norris has "taken responsibility" for a move that the team doesn't want to see between its two drivers.

"We had a lot of discussions, as you would expect, and yeah, it was very productive. We're very clear on how we want to go racing as a team and that includes going forward and the incident we had in Singapore isn't how we want to go racing.

"Lando's taken responsibility for that and so have the team, so yeah, I think it's it's quite clear for us as a team that how lap one unfolded wasn't how we want to go racing.

On parity at McLaren: "I'm very happy with that, you know, I think for me, we analysed the the incident and you know, there has been responsibility placed on Lando ultimately in that collision, but I'm very happy that there's no favouritism or bias."

"I think every driver wants a fair chance to try and win a championship and I think for me it's more than fair to let us both keep fighting for that." 

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

Leclerc: Ferrari short of targets, but "still opportunities" to score podiums

Charles Leclerc hasn't stood on an F1 podium since the Belgian Grand Prix, as Ferrari has struggled to challenge for a top-three finish of late.

Although the Monegasque has been left disappointed by the team's current results, he has tried to rally his team to nail its weekend preparation and challenge for stronger finishes over the final six rounds of the year.

"Of course, it's disappointing and disappointed of coming home with no podiums, but that's the same for the whole team," Leclerc said. "I think as Ferrari, we are well aware what our targets and what we should do, and at the moment we came short of what we want to do and whenever this happens, then there's disappointment and there was disappointment on my side as well.

"But there's a huge motivation to try and turn the situation around and to at least do something special before the end of the season. We don't quite have the raw performance that McLaren or Red Bull can have, and even Mercedes now, but if we do everything perfect, it's not like we are a second off."

Leclerc on opportunities if Ferrari can perform: "If we do everything perfect, I think there's still opportunities, especially on weekends like this where it's a sprint weekend, and for that I'm looking forward to it, but yeah, it's not been easy through the last weekends for sure."

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Photo by: Bryn Lennon / Formula 1 via Getty Images

Tsunoda has "flipped" struggles with long runs and short runs

On joining Red Bull, Yuki Tsunoda reckoned his qualifying pace was reasonable, but that he was struggling most to gather race pace from his RB21. He now believes that this has fallen the other way; his race pace is where he wants it, but his weekends now fall down in qualifying.

He says that he's unsure if his performances are enough to show that he's worthy of keeping a Red Bull drive, but believes that there's progress to lean back on.

"I think I've shown a good amount of progress - if that is enough or not, I don't know, I don't know what kind of reference [Helmut Marko is] setting. But I think at least I'm showing some progress there and especially long run amount of progress I've done, the step I had was a lot more.

"I almost flipped the situation upside down with that, especially long run pace, so I think that's really positive.

"Now it's a bit more struggling in the short runs in the last two races. At least it's good that as long as as soon as I'm able to put it all together in the short run. I think I can have good results. The long run pace is there. It just matters to put it all together all weekends, short run and long run, which I think will come.

"Every races I'm learning new things and definitely I try to optimise and put it all together as soon as possible. But can't say that I am able to show the result clear enough that I'm able to reach the targets that he sets. But it's in the right direction."

Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Russell on his new deal: "More about winning than money"

After finally ending a long-running plot line after signing a new Mercedes deal, George Russell believes that the team offers him the best chance of winning titles - and admitted that CEO Toto Wolff could have been "tighter" with the Briton's new pay-packet.

Russell is locked in for 2026, but it's understood that his deal is on a multi-year basis.

"I'm really happy to be continuing. The truth is if every single seat was available for next year and I could choose any single team to race for, I believe Mercedes is my best chance of winning the championship next year. And for me, it's more about winning than it is about money or sponsor days or anything. I want to win and this is what I'm fighting for, so that is the long and short of it.

"I think it always just comes down to performance, I think, for any driver. Or at least for myself, what allows me to sleep well at night is knowing that my performances are strong and that is what will keep you in the sport as any driver. Our intention and my goal is to continue with Mercedes indefinitely, and we're here to focus on winning in 2026."

Russell on the terms of his contract: "I'm very happy to be honest, because given the situation and circumstances with me and the team, Toto could have been substantially tighter if he wanted to be, but I think he really recognises that you need to reward those who are delivering, who are putting in the effort and delivering those results on track. That's why I'm sort of here with a smile on my face because I'm very happy with the offer. That's the bonus, but the main goal for me is a fast race car."

George Russell, Mercedes

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

Antonelli: New contract "relaxes me" after "difficult period"

It's been a testing opening season for Andrea Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes, although the Italian teen's form has been much stronger of late. Mercedes announced that it would retain Antonelli and George Russell for next season, as contract extensions had been mooted for months.

Antonelli says that he's felt support from the team in getting his new deal, and knows the pressure is on to keep performing next year to keep his seat for a third season.

"The team has always been very clear on their plans and on what they wanted to do, so I wasn't never really worried, but it's always nice to get the confirmation. Especially, you know, with all the ups and downs, especially the difficult period, some doubt starts to kick in. But the team has always been very supportive and very open that they wanted to continue with me, especially for next year.

"I'm really happy to have the confirmation now that it's been announced. Even though I knew it, it still kind of relaxes me a little bit, a little bit more because I know now for sure that I have the seat for next year."

Antonelli on his chances beyond 2026: "I don't know, I race year by year and is always trying to deliver the best, the best results as possible and as I said before with the team, they obviously they want to work with me also in the future, and not only next year, but I need to perform as well.

"Their plan is to continue with me as well, probably beyond 2026 as well, but me as a driver, I need to perform and I need to deliver the results, especially next year because I'm gonna be having a year under the belt and it's gonna be a new regulation for everyone and a massive opportunities.

"So especially if we have the car, it's gonna be really important for me to to really maximise the result and to really perform at my best, especially if I want the seat for '27 and beyond."

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

Bortoleto: "I've done my homework" for first COTA experience

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Photo by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Verstappen on Red Bull improvements, downplays title chances

Max Verstappen has already stated that his title chances are "50-50, either I win it or I don't", and is sticking to his race-by-race mantra to see what he can do. The Dutchman is 63 points behind title leader Oscar Piastri, so the pressure is very much off.

"The car's just a bit more balanced. It doesn't oversteer dramatically, or understeer dramatically, but you're always fine-tuning things. It's a bit better, it's not about believing in it, it's about being realistic.

"We've had some good results, I know when the car is capable of being quick and at those races, I can be there. 

On his place in the title fight: "I don't really think about [the championship] too much, I go to the race weekend, I try to do everything I can in the car, I don't think if I'm in front or behind. I just see every race weekend as an opportunity to win. And if we don't, we don't. Life goes on. I think as a team we try to understand about the car a bit more, see what applies to next year because it's not like you completely start over. 

"I think in general [McLaren is] still quite strong in the medium-speed corners. The rest depends a bit on the track layout, conditions, it's a bit difficult. "

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Andrea Stella, McLaren

Photo by: Zak Mauger / LAT Images via Getty Images

Hamilton: Ferrari already made statement with Vasseur extension

As rumours about Christian Horner's next steps in F1 continue, Lewis Hamilton was asked about the chances of the ex-Red Bull team principal joining Ferrari.

He said he knew little about it, but has previously said that Vasseur's presence at Ferrari was an integral part of him leaving Mercedes to join the team.

"I don't know where the rumours have come from so I can't shed much light on that. It's distracting for us as a team, the team has made it clear where it stands with Fred as it re-signed him," Hamilton said.

"These things aren't helpful. Everyone back at the factory is working hard and these rumours can be distracting. For me it's important to keep the goal that we're working on for next year, so we can have better execution and better performance. As I said back in Spa, we're having lots of meetings to make sure we're in a good place for next year."

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Photo by: Michael Potts / LAT Images via Getty Images

Alonso: 2025 "not a season to be remembered"

Fernando Alonso says that he won't necessarily have many fond memories of 2025, a year which started with bad luck and has continued to generate frustration. 

The Spaniard has scored points in seven of the last 10 races, but these races have been punctuated by somewhat angsty messages on the radio.

Alonso's plans for the rest of 2025: "In the weekends we still need to perform at our best level, keep the motivation high, and get better for next year. So we need to use these six races as a test, in a way. We need to have an eye into next year's calendar and save a bit of energy. It's important to start next year in January with our batteries fully charged."

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / LAT Images via Getty Images

Colapinto finding more "consistency" post-summer break

Franco Colapinto says he has been asked to "keep doing what I'm doing" as he hopes to secure an extension to his Alpine F1 deal in 2026.

The Argentine reckons he's finding his feet a bit more with the trickly Alpine A525 car, although he's still yet to score a point this season.

"It's been better. I've found a bit more consistency in the car. I've been really struggling to find that track to track, session to session. But I'm starting to find my feet after the summer break I've found that the performance is improving.

"It's not at the moment where we want and expect, but we are trying to work hard, understand our issues, and try to explore with the set-up and be ready for P1 with where we need to be. On my side, learning and understanding the car from session to session. But it's been tough."

What he needs to do to stay at Alpine in 2026: "Just keep doing what I'm doing, I'm working well with the team. Looking at these last qualifying runs we're struggling for pace, but we're staying motivated. It's all preparation for when the moment comes, and I hope next year will [bring that]."

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

Bearman on 2025 season so far, Haas updates

Ollie Bearman has scored points in two of the four races after the summer break, and he's hoping for more with Haas' new update. 

The team has a few modifications to the floor and bodywork, and will back-to-back test it before it decides whether to install it on both cars.

"We have an upgrade on the car which will hopefully bring us performance everywhere. It's quite late into the season to bring an upgrade, so hopefully it brings us an advantage over our competitors," Bearman said.

Bearman on his 2025 season: "It's been a bit up and down, but since the summer break I've found a good level of consistency. I'm in a really good place at the moment and really happy with how things are going. I was aiming to see a big improvement in myself, my driving, and my capabilities. And I can see that."

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Photo by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Press conferences coming up shortly...

The two official FIA press conferences will get underway in a little over 15 minutes. Franco Colapinto, Fernando Alonso, and Ollie Bearman will command the floor in the opening half-hour session.

Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, and Gabriel Bortoleto will sit on the sofa in the second half-hour.

Gasly "missing competition" at the tail end

Pierre Gasly has had to get used to battling within the lower midfield this season, as the team's points-scoring exploits have run aground in recent races.

Gasly hasn't scored points since the Belgian Grand Prix, and says that he's had to switch his focus onto getting the most out of his car - although feels that hasn't necessarily been the case of late.

"Yeah, I mean, I'm just very realistic about the situation we are in. I think I had like a fair few months to get in the right place about it and just be focusing on the stuff I can control and trying to deliver the best of myself for the team and same the other way so I think objectively I think what I care the most about is just feeling that we're getting everything out of the package.

"It hasn't been the case in the last 3 weekends and we've worked really hard with the team and we figured things out on my car on past stuff that wasn't working properly, so, I think for me the main focus is to make sure that this last six races, you know, the standards at which we work are as high as they need to be for us to get ready for next year."

Gasly still derives enjoyment from F1: "I'll do it every single day if I could, so I think the enjoyment behind the wheel is there. What I'm missing is just the competition, and the sort of reward for the work that you put in."

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

Hadjar on Marko praise of his adaptability: "It's something I really had to work on"

Helmut Marko is known to be keen on the idea of getting Isack Hadjar into a Red Bull next year, praising the Frenchman's adaptation to circuits he'd never been to in his first F1 season.

Hadjar has shown up well in weekends where he's had little track time, and he says that it's a trait that he had to work on during his time in the junior series.

Hadjar's response to Marko: "Yeah, sometimes I'd like to go into qualifying straight away because I feel like some people take a bit longer to get [warmed up]. That's why I enjoy sprint weekends because you need to be a bit more explosive and I enjoy it.

"If anything, it's something I really had to work on. I was always a very slow starter. It's something I learned to improve going into F3, F2, because you get no laps through practice basically."

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

Ocon: Haas update demonstrates "great push"

Haas has introduced an update for the US Grand Prix, as it kept a small team looking at its 2025 car to see if there any small changes it could make to keep improving its VF-25 car.

Esteban Ocon hailed the team's efforts, and hopes that the changes will allow him to "attack the brakes" more as he looks for corner entry stability.

"I will be starting with the upgrade, then obviously we will compare everything [after practice], see if everything is healthy and then switch with both cars. 

"It's a great push by the whole team to keep finding some stuff at this stage of this regulation. I think it is not an easy thing to find performance now, with how long this regulation has been there and how tight everything is.

"But hopefully we will find a little bit of performance and hopefully that's going to give us a little bit more help to be scoring points more frequently.

Ocon's hopes for Haas' updates: "I hope it's going to give us a little bit more of the issues we usually see with the car, giving us a bit more balance in places that we need. The last time we put the upgrade in Silverstone, that's the direction it went, that was a positive direction and I hope this will go a step further. And of course giving us a bit more grip also, that would be nice, so we will see."

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Photo by: Zak Mauger / LAT Images via Getty Images

US Grand Prix - Thursday gallery

Want to explore the best photos from the F1 paddock? Here's your Thursday gallery, where you can try to work out who this shadowy figure is...

Who's that Pokemon?

Photo by: Bryn Lennon / Formula 1 via Getty Images

Lawson has lived through pressure in "entire career" in F1 as he bats away 2026 speculation

Certainties of 2025: death, taxes, Liam Lawson being asked about his future. He's used to answering those sorts of questions, and played down the importance of the US Grand Prix in his bid to keep his F1 career going into next season.

Lawson added that this was standard practice for him; being part of the Red Bull junior programme, the Kiwi says that intense pressure is something he's had to deal with for years.

Lawson on performing in Texas: "It's important as any other weekend honestly, the sport moves very fast. As much as you have good race weekends, I think people in Formula 1 have very short memories so it's about trying to keep that consistency across the board. I think that it's important but so is every weekend honestly in Formula 1."

On handling the pressure: "It's my entire career in Formula 1 so far, not that it's been very long but that's how it's been. It's how I came into the sport last year, it's how things have always been and it's something that we're exposed to from a young age in the junior programme, we're put under this pressure, we're always on a performance-based programme and it's designed to put us under pressure so it's nothing new honestly."

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

Sainz: Austin not the track for Williams "on paper"

Carlos Sainz says that, although Williams' form at the Circuit of the Americas has generally been strong - the team has scored points in Texas in the past two seasons - of late, it should not necessarily expect points this weekend.

He believes that the series of longer corners shouldn't play to the team's strengths - but notes that he's willing to be surprised.

"I've seen the results of the team in this track for the past few years and it's pretty encouraging, but then you look at the track on paper with the long corners and I see we shouldn't be actually very strong. It's a bit like Zandvoort where it's been a strong place for the team in the past, but it shouldn't have been.

"This year that's why I'm a bit open minded because sometimes the car responds a bit differently to what we expect. Let's see. I think we should target like always the points from here to the end of the year in every track - except maybe for Qatar."

Carlos Sainz, Williams

Photo by: Zak Mauger / LAT Images via Getty Images

Albon: US "doesn't feel hot enough" for in-car cooling vest

When Singapore was declared as F1's first 'heat hazard' race, all teams had to run with an extra 5kg of mass to account for the cooling packages on board - although not all drivers chose to run with the in-car cool vest.

Alex Albon did, however; he said that he was actually slightly too cold for the first time in a Singapore race. However, he thinks the humidity in Austin will be too low to need the system.

Albon on Singapore: "Yeah, it's it feels like a bit of a polarising subject, but for us I feel like as a team we've done a really good job with the cooling system. It works well on our car, it's comfortable, The first 20 laps of the race was actually cold rather than hot, which was definitely a new thing for me. Still a bit of refinement to do, still areas to improve on it. But it was welcome to me, I think you've got to remember races like Qatar '23, so I think it was a good thing."

Austin declared heat hazard: "It doesn't feel hot enough, not right now, it doesn't. Humidity is always the struggle - like to getting your skin to breathe with all the fireproofs that we have on our car and and all these kind of things. When it's dry heat, and this doesn't feel that humid out there at the moment, it's relatively comfortable for us."

Alexander Albon, Williams

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / LAT Images via Getty Images

Hulkenberg on Wheatley comments: '2025 highlights bring belief'

This week, Jonathan Wheatley appeared on the James Allen on F1 podcast to discuss his opening year with the team, and discussed the growth of Sauber as it transitions towards Audi.

Asked about Wheatley's comments, Nico Hulkenberg spoke about the team coming out of its survival mode and that results this season have brought the personnel self-belief.

"I think it's a process. Obviously it is a fact that the last few years have been tough about survival for the team, and that leaves something behind. I think it is somehow in people, but I think you know it's a shift of momentum, a shift and a process to get away from that and work and develop towards the other direction.

"Of course you know the highlights we put in this year help for everyone, in terms of self belief, in terms of we can actually get things done if we do a great job, if we perform well, so yeah, you know, there is change happening. There is progress on that side."

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

Photo by: Zak Mauger / LAT Images via Getty Images

Special edition liveries this weekend

There are SIX one-off liveries that will be run at the US Grand Prix. Let's go through and rate them all...

Haas: Stars 'n' stripes

Haas F1 Team special livery, United States Grand Prix

Photo by: Haas F1 Team

Haas likes to lean into its American-ness in these races, and it's come up with another star-spangled machine for Austin. It's effectively the standard race livery but with some US-ified details that sort of blend in - although it's a little bit busy. It's also hard to tell if the blue bits are actually blue! 5/10.

Racing Bulls: Tortoiseshell terror

Racing Bulls Team US GP special livery

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

I don't really understand the significance of a tortoiseshell pattern and the US Grand Prix. What I do understand is this: it could have been really cool, but the random patches of white rather draw attention to the idea that this went through a gazillion stages of marketing emails and some sponsors probably preferred to keep their logos on a white background. As such, it's just a bit of a mess. If it was all tortoiseshell? 8/10. Currently? 4/10.

McLaren: A sliver of silver

McLaren US GP special livery

Photo by: McLaren

Because Google wants to advertise its Gemini AI software, McLaren has reintroduced silver into its design - something that it seems to be doing with regularity of late. It looks like a matte silver finish, which I don't mind, but it's a bit middle-of-the-road. 5/10.

Williams: 2000s is retro now?

Williams FW47 US GP special livery

Photo by: Peter Fox / Getty Images

With the help of former driver Juan Pablo Montoya, Williams revealed a throwback to its time as a BMW works outfit, with a replication of the livery from its 2002 FW24. Why '02? No clue. But it hits the nostalgia for that era of F1 just so, throwing white into the equation and lining it with silver piping - as was during the 2000-2005 BMW days. 8/10.

Aston Martin: Tri so hard, but got so far

Aston Martin US GP livery

Photo by: Aston Martin Racing

It's the same but with little dark green triangles. The Aramco logo is yellow. That's kinda it. 4/10.

Alpine: Now with yellow!

Alpine A525 US GP special livery

Photo by: Alpine

When Franco Colapinto joined Williams last year, the Mercado Libre special edition livery at least borrowed a bit from the Williams back catalogue, as the splash of yellow harkened back to the days of ICI and Camel occupying the engine cover. Alpine has been given some money to add more yellow onto the car. It's done that. It now looks like a cross between a 1992 Brabham and a 1993 Larrousse. Exalted company. 2/10.

F1 US Grand Prix media day

Hello everyone, and welcome along to our live blog - where we'll cover all of the interesting snippets that emerge from the Circuit of the Americas paddock ahead of the United States Grand Prix.

It's already stetson-galore in the paddock - here's Isack Hadjar representing Texas, dressed in the tortoiseshell garb that Racing Bulls will run with this weekend...

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images