United States Grand Prix 2026: Start Time, TV and Antonelli's Title Shot in Austin
The 2026 United States Grand Prix runs October 23-25 at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, round 18 of 23, with the 56-lap race on Sunday October 25 at 15:00 local time (4 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. in the UK as British clocks go back that morning). There is no sprint. Kimi Antonelli arrives 102 points clear of George Russell and can be crowned champion in Texas if he wins with Russell ninth or lower and Lewis Hamilton fifth or lower. Max Verstappen is the defending winner. Sources: Formula1.com, Crash.net, Autosport, Reuters.
The context
Austin, the first match point for Antonelli
The 2026 United States Grand Prix takes place from October 23 to 25 at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, round 18 of 23. The 56-lap race starts on Sunday October 25 at 15:00 local time, which is 4 p.m. on the US East Coast and, because Europe leaves summer time that same morning, 8 p.m. in the UK and 9 p.m. in central Europe. Unlike in 2025, there is no sprint: Singapore hosted the last one of the season, so Austin follows the classic format of three practice sessions, qualifying on Saturday at 16:00 local and the grand prix on Sunday.
The stakes are clear. Kimi Antonelli arrives with 340 points, 102 ahead of his Mercedes teammate George Russell, 111 ahead of Lewis Hamilton and 119 ahead of Max Verstappen. After Austin, five races and 125 points will remain, so the Italian needs to leave Texas at least 125 points clear. The only route is a win, with Russell ninth or lower and Hamilton fifth or lower. A tie with Russell would go Antonelli’s way on count-back, eight wins to three. Crash.net also notes that Mercedes could introduce an engine upgrade as early as Austin, which might send both cars to the back of the grid and reshuffle the picture.
A title in Austin would carry history with it. At 20, Antonelli would become Formula One’s youngest ever champion and Italy’s first since 1953, with five rounds to spare, one short of Michael Schumacher’s 2002 record. Reuters adds a caveat: the fate of the Qatar and Abu Dhabi rounds is uncertain because of the conflict in the Middle East, and the scenarios above assume the current calendar.
The man in form is Max Verstappen, winner of the last two grands prix at Sepang and Singapore and the defending winner in Austin, where he took pole, the sprint and the race in 2025, leading every lap. He has four COTA wins, one fewer than Lewis Hamilton’s five. The 5.513 km track, with its steep climb to Turn 1, has a race lap record of 1:36.169, set by Charles Leclerc in 2019. In the US the race is exclusive to Apple TV; in the UK, it is live on Sky Sports F1 with highlights on Channel 4.
Sources: Formula1.com, Crash.net, Autosport, Reuters, GPblog, Racer, Wikipedia.
People also ask
True or false?
He must win with Russell ninth or lower and Hamilton fifth or lower, to leave Austin at least 125 points clear. (Crash.net, Autosport)
Only a win can do it: with second place or lower, the fight goes on to Mexico City. (Crash.net, GPblog)
Austin is a standard weekend; Singapore hosted the last sprint of 2026. (Formula1.com, Crash.net)
From pole, ahead of Norris and Leclerc, leading every lap. (Crash.net, Lights Out Blog)
He is 20, and a title would also make him Italy's first champion since 1953. (Reuters)
Reuters reports their fate is up in the air because of the conflict in the Middle East; the Austin scenarios assume five races remain afterwards. (Reuters, Autosport)