HAMILTON SINGLES OUT HIS ‘BIGGEST ISSUE’ IN US GP

Lewis Hamilton called balance problems his "biggest issue" in finishing fourth at Austin, while Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc grabbed second behind Kimi Antonelli's dominant Mercedes run. Antonelli's one-stop caught both Ferrari and Red Bull on two-stoppers.

Hamilton lost ground early on used tyres—worth roughly two seconds per lap compared to fresh rubber. But the balance hurt more. "I just couldn't turn the car," he said, noting Leclerc ran significantly more front wing. It's a recurring setup trap that's bitten him at Silverstone and elsewhere.

Leclerc fought past Max Verstappen late and liked what he felt from Ferrari's Austin upgrades. With the development race effectively over, he's banking on momentum and optimization to carry the Scuderia through the final rounds and keep McLaren at bay in the Constructors' fight for second.