AUSTIN -- After the opening practice sessions at the Circuit of the Americas, Lewis Hamilton believes Red Bull is a bigger threat than Ferrari at this weekend's U.S. Grand Prix.
Hamilton topped both Friday practice sessions in Austin, finishing the dry afternoon session 0.4s clear of Max Verstappen's Red Bull in second. But while Mercedes had the edge over one lap, the race simulations told a different story with Red Bull looking faster than Mercedes on heavy fuel.
Hamilton's title rival Sebastian Vettel was limited to just eight laps in the afternoon session due to a handling issue on his Ferrari, which meant meaningful long-run comparisons were not possible.