Guide to 2026 United States Grand Prix as the title fight rumbles on into Austin, Texas, USA, on the brink of a new historic record.
Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli arrives Stateside on the cusp of becoming’s F1’s youngest-ever champion at just 20 years-old as he holds a 102 point lead over George Russell with six rounds left in the season, whilst Lewis Hamilton isn’t mathematically out of contention.
Should he indeed achieve that feat this weekend then he will break the 16-year record held by Sebastian Vettel, who claimed his first F1 title at 23 years and 134 days old.
Aston Martin, Cadillac, Haas and Mercedes meanwhile will sport special liveries for the weekend.
Now, here is a full preview of everything that you need to know ahead of the 2026 US Grand Prix.
Track Guide
Laps: 56
Race Distance: 308.405km
Tyre Compounds: C2, C3 & C4
Schedule
| Date | Session | Time (BST)* |
| Friday 23 October | FP1 | 6:30pm |
| Friday 23 October | FP2 | 10:00pm |
| Saturday 24 October | FP3 | 6:30pm |
| Saturday 24 October | Qualifying | 10:00pm |
| Sunday 25 October | Race | 8:00pm* |
*British clocks go back an hour to GMT at 2am on Sunday 25 October.
Five Key Pointers
- With a return to the standard race weekend format specifically in Austin for the first time since 2022, teams will have three practice sessions to learn about the various bumps, tyre degradation and setup needs to maximise performance.
- A clean start with brakes up to temperature will be key for those who find themselves in midfield heading into the tight opening uphill corner in the race.
- Braking will be key at Turn 11 because any lock-ups could leave drivers out wide and vulnerable down the back straight towards Turn 12, where gusty wind could cause rear stability issues amidst track limits.
- Two-stop strategies have been common in recent visits to Texas so expect two-stop strategies to once again be the case, although no sprint opens the door to a variety in starting strategies.
- Hot temperatures are forecast across the entire weekend which could make tyre management a crucial element to how the race plays out.
Last Time Out
Verstappen completed the Sprint and Grand Prix double on F1’s visit to Austin in 2025, which saw his title deficit cut to 40 points in third place behind eventual champion – Lando Norris, whilst he went on to finish runner-up behind the Brit at the conclusion of the campaign.
Title Permutations
For Antonelli to win the title at this first mathematical opportunity, he needs the following scenario to play out:
| Antonelli needs | Russell to finish | Hamilton to finish |
| 1st | ninth or lower | fifth or lower |
- Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris are in mathematical contention but would be eliminated if Antonelli wins the race.
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