Lining up fourth and fifth for the US GP, Charles Leclerc has said both he and his Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton know "the line not to cross" heading into Turn 1 at the Circuit of the Americas.

It was all looking very promising for the Italian team heading into US GP Qualifying, Ferrari had topped all three of the practice sessions in Austin while sporting a new upgrade package, but Leclerc and Hamilton start P4 and P5, respectively, after Kimi Antonelli's first Pole since Spa. Red Bull duo Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar line up ahead of the Monegasque.

Explaining Ferrari's Qualifying woes, Leclerc cited difficulties with his tyres - particularly on the outlap - while Hamilton focused, as he has done for much of 2026, on the Scuderia's lack of straight-line speed. Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur was also quick to shut down any "bulls**t" excuse regarding the windy conditions in Austin.

Leclerc: The message is clear

Photo: Race Pictures

Instead, perhaps Vasseur will be more focused on ensuring clean racing between his drivers, which has not always come easily during the 2026 season. During Ferrari's home race at Monza, for instance, Hamilton was left calling for Mercedes-like rules of engagement after he was forced off-track by his teammate at Turn 2. Leclerc later admitted the pair had gone "too far" during that particular incident.

Looking ahead to the Austin race there is the prospect of another battle between Leclerc and Hamilton, with the Ferrari duo starting close together on the run up to the iconic Turn 1 hill at COTA. Asked whether any rules have been put in place by the team, Leclerc said the drivers know what is expected.

“No, we know what is the line not to cross," Leclerc said. "And again I think we’ve got some occasions throughout the year where I’ve crossed it, Lewis crossed it and we don’t want to see that. This is clear."

The Monegasque was also asked how important teamwork will be in Austin. “I mean it’s always important," he replied. "I don’t think on a track like this there’s anything like Singapore like that you can do with slowing down and all the team or whatsoever, but obviously just stay away from each other is always a good thing no matter where we are.”

Hamilton sees no problems at COTA

Photo: Race Pictures

Asked on that fine line between teamwork and racing each other, Hamilton did not foresee any problems with Leclerc, whose impressive race pace was also praised by the seven-time world champion.

"Time will tell, we'll see. I don't really think we'll have any problems hopefully tomorrow. Charles has been really strong in his last few races. His race pace is really strong. He's maybe a little bit more comfortable in the car, and he's been doing a great job."

Hamilton also highlighted the importance of strong strategy, something which he has not always been pleased with so far this season. "So, I hope I can challenge tomorrow, and hopefully just as a team we make the right decisions," Hamilton concluded.