Date | Session | Time |
|---|---|---|
Fri., Oct. 23 | 1st Free Practice | 19:30 |
2nd Free Practice | 23:00 | |
Sat., Oct. 24 | 3rd Free Practice | 19:30 |
Qualifying | 23:00 | |
Sun., Oct. 25 | Race | 21:00 |
The Circuit of the Americas
The track in Texas is 5.513 kilometers long, and 56 laps will be driven.
Its hallmark is the steep uphill run to Turn 1, which regularly causes chaos at the start.
Championship Match Point: How Antonelli Becomes World Champion in Austin
Antonelli leads the World Championship with 340 points, 102 points ahead of teammate George Russell (238). Lewis Hamilton (229) and Max Verstappen (221) follow behind. After Austin, only five Grands Prix and thus 125 points are left to be awarded.
The calculation for Sunday: If Antonelli wins the race, Russell can finish no higher than ninth and Hamilton no higher than fifth. Then the Italian cannot be caught. What Verstappen, Leclerc, or Norris achieve does not matter in this scenario.
If the coup succeeds, Antonelli makes history. The Mercedes driver will be just 20 years old on race day. The record for the youngest world champion is currently held by Sebastian Vettel, who became champion at 23 in 2010. It would also be a special title for Austria: Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff signed Antonelli as a kart driver.
Incidentally, Austin has experience with early coronations: Lewis Hamilton secured his World Championship titles in 2015 and 2019 at the Circuit of the Americas.
Who takes pole and victory in Austin?
With eight seasonal victories, Antonelli is the man of the moment; Russell has three. However, the Austin specialist is Max Verstappen: The Red Bull driver won both the Sprint and the Grand Prix last year and celebrated a start-to-finish victory on Sunday ahead of Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc. The most recent race in Singapore also went to the Dutchman.
Ferrari is counting on good memories: in 2024, Leclerc and Carlos Sainz celebrated a one-two finish in Austin. Hamilton, now also in red, holds the record with six victories at the US GP.
The most important questions about the US GP
When does the Formula 1 race in Austin start? On Sunday, October 25, at 9:00 PM Austrian time.
Is there a Sprint in Austin in 2026? No, this year the classic format with three practice sessions, qualifying, and the race applies.
Can Antonelli become World Champion in Austin? Yes. With a win, he is champion if Russell finishes no better than ninth and Hamilton no better than fifth.
