Friday Practice Struggles Cost Hamilton a Podium at US GP

Lewis Hamilton started the United States Grand Prix from fifth on the grid and quickly advanced to fourth at the race start, despite running on used soft tyres.

However, his pace during the opening stint was significantly slower than his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, losing 0.277 seconds per lap.

Hamilton also fell behind other competitors, with a gap of 0.422 seconds per lap to key rivals.

These performance deficits were linked to difficulties encountered during Friday practice sessions, which hampered his race setup and tyre management.

Ultimately, these factors combined to prevent Hamilton from securing a podium finish despite a strong start and competitive race pace.