F1 US GP: Perez fastest in FP2 as Hamilton and Verstappen go wheel-to-wheel
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez set the pace in second practice for the United States Grand Prix, as Formula 1 title rivals Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton had their first on-track scrap of the weekend.
Perez was the quickest driver during the short runs on so🌞ft tyres as he lapped the Circuit of the Americas with a 1m34.946s to top the FP2 leaderboard, 0.257s clear of McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Afte⛎🎃r dominating opening practice, the Mercedes pair of Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas slipped back to third and fourth on Friday afternoon.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton had briefly jumped to the top of the timesheets with the fastest time seen so far this weekend on a 1m34.842s, onl𒉰y to 💎see his lap time deleted for falling foul of track limits at Turn 19.
That dropped Hamilton down to fifth but he was able to improve with a second-timed effort to go third, 0♎.364s off the pace. Teammate Bottas had a scruffy second l๊ap on softs as he stayed fourth, less than a tenth behind Hamilton.
The flashpꦗoint of FP2 was pꦓrovided by Hamilton and Verstappen as they engaged in an on-track battle early on in the session.
After being overtaken by Verstappen at Tur✱n 15, Hamilton returned the favour at the final corner with both drivers about to start a timed lap, before the pair continued to race wheel-to-wheel along the main straight anജd all the way up to Turn 1.
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