LIVE | Formula 1: Sainz puts Verstappen, Norris in shade at US Grand Prix practice

Carlos Sainz topped the times ahead of team-mate Charles Leclerc as Ferrari set the pace ahead of title contenders Max Verstappen and Lando Norris in Friday's opening practice at the United States Grand Prix.

Sainz clocked a fastest lap in one minute and 33.602 seconds to beat Leclerc by 0.021 seconds with three-time champion and series leader Verstappen of Red Bull adrift by two-tenths.

Norris and his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri were fourth and fifth ahead of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team-mate George Russell with Kevin Magnussen eighth on his return for Haas.

Two-time champion Fernando Alonso was ninth for Aston Martin ahead of Yuki Tsunoda of RB with Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull languishing in 16th place.

Verstappen, without a win since the Spanish Grand Prix in June, is hoping to end a run of eight winless races to stay well clear of Norris who has closed to within 52 points in the title race with six rounds remaning.

After a four-week break, most teams arrived in Texas with a raft of upgrades for the championship run-in, McLaren and Mercedes leading the way on a bright, warm and dry morning.

Norris led the cars out and was soon running off track as he mistimed his braking while Leclerc was the early pace-setter in 1:36.724.

Sainz soon joined his Ferrari team-mate at the top of the monitors before Russell and then Verstappen took over, the Dutchman clocking 1:35.538 for Red Bull.

In gusty conditions, Hamilton and Russell both survived big spins at Turn Four, the seven-time champion wrecking a set of tyres.

Leclerc and Sainz then regained the top two spots before Red Bull switched from hards to mediums or softs, a change that saw Verstappen sweep ahead of the pack in 1;33.855, almost a