The United States Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place this weekend in Austin, with Kimi Antonelli ready to compete at the Circuit of the Americas. This race represents his first opportunity to secure the 2026 World Championship title.
With a 102-point lead over his teammate George Russell, Antonelli needs to outscore Russell by 23 points during the GP to secure his first title. This means that a victory combined with a ninth place for Russell would be enough.
Max Verstappen is positioned as one of the main rivals for the Mercedes team, thanks to Red Bull’s spectacular recovery. Verstappen has triumphed in Sepang, as well as in Singapore, where he dominated both the race and the sprint, with a total of seven podiums in the last eight races.
On the other hand, McLaren is looking to reverse a negative trend after failing to reach the podium during the last GPs held in Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Malaysia, and Singapore. The Austin GP marks a return to the traditional race format, with three practice sessions following the sprint weekend in Singapore.
Friday’s schedule will include Practice Sessions 1 and 2. Below are the details and essential information about the United States GP.
Schedule for the United States F1 Grand Prix
Austin local times:
- Friday, October 23 — Practice 1 — 12:30pm CDT
- Friday, October 23 — Practice 2 — 4:00pm CDT
For UK viewers:
- Friday, October 23 — Practice 1 — 6:30pm BST
- Friday, October 23 — Practice 2 — 10:00pm BST
For viewers in Eastern Time Zone of the US:
- Friday, October 23 — Practice 1 — 1:30pm ET
- Friday, October 23 — Practice 2 — 5:00pm ET
Weather Forecast for Friday
A warm and mostly sunny Friday is expected in Austin, with some scattered clouds and temperatures reaching up to 30°C. The chance of rain is very low, around 3%, which will allow teams to have dry conditions during the practice sessions.
As for Saturday, warm and dry weather is expected to continue, with similar temperatures and less than a 10% chance of rain for the final practice session and qualifying. In contrast, on Sunday, during the Grand Prix, temperatures may be slightly lower, ranging between 28 and 29°C, with a very low chance of rain.
Details of the United States Grand Prix Track
- Circuit: Circuit of the Americas
- Location: Austin, Texas, United States
- Event: US GP
- Type of circuit: permanent circuit
- Sessions on Friday: Practice 1 and Practice 2
- Sessions on Saturday: Practice 3 and Qualifying
- Race: Sunday, October 25
- Circuit length: 5.513 km
- Curves: 20
- Race distance: 56 laps / 308.405 km
The Circuit of the Americas combines significant elevation changes with high-speed direction changes, intense braking zones, and a famous incline at Turn 1. Its first sector is inspired by the Maggots-Becketts-Chapel complex of Silverstone, and the track’s elevation changes represent an additional challenge for car setup.
2026 Formula 1 Participants
| Team | Driver | Driver |
|---|---|---|
| McLaren | Lando Norris | Oscar Piastri |
| Mercedes | George Russell | Kimi Antonelli |
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
SourceID: SRC_3ab9591df414366e991a4bf1056adde2e2c146ac