News Summary
- Yes, Formula 1 is racing today, Sunday, October 25, with the 2026 United States Grand Prix starting at 15:00 in Austin, 16:00 Eastern Time and 20:00 in the United Kingdom.
- Kimi Antonelli starts from pole position ahead of Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar, while Gabriel Bortoleto, Franco Colapinto and Arvid Lindblad have received grid penalties.
- The race will be broadcast on Apple TV in the United States, Sky Sports in the United Kingdom, TSN and RDS in Canada, FanCode in India, Fox Sports/Kayo in Australia and Sky Sport in New Zealand.
Yes, there is Formula 1 today. The 2026 United States Grand Prix takes place this Sunday (October 25) at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, with the race scheduled to begin at 15:00 local time (CDT). The 56-lap event is the 19th round of the Formula 1 World Championship and gives championship leader Kimi Antonelli his first opportunity to secure the Drivers’ title with five races remaining.
The Mercedes driver claimed pole position in Saturday’s qualifying session, beating Max Verstappen by 0.179 seconds and Isack Hadjar by 0.215 seconds. Meanwhile, three power-unit penalties have changed the starting grid, with Gabriel Bortoleto relegated to last place and Franco Colapinto joining him on the final row.
What time is the F1 race today, Sunday, October 25?
The United States Grand Prix starts at 15:00 in Austin, equivalent to 16:00 in New York and Toronto, 13:00 in Los Angeles and 20:00 in London.
For viewers in the United Kingdom, there is an important detail: British clocks went back one hour overnight, ending British Summer Time (BST) and returning to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). As a result, Sunday’s race begins at 20:00 GMT, rather than the 21:00 some viewers might expect using Saturday’s time difference.
In India, Australia and New Zealand, the race will take place on Monday, October 26, because of the time difference with Texas.
F1 United States GP 2026 — Race start times worldwide
| Country / Region | Local date | Race start |
|---|---|---|
| United States — Austin (CDT) | Sunday, Oct 25 | 15:00 |
| United States — New York (EDT) | Sunday, Oct 25 | 16:00 |
| United States — Chicago (CDT) | Sunday, Oct 25 | 15:00 |
| United States — Denver (MDT) | Sunday, Oct 25 | 14:00 |
| United States — Los Angeles (PDT) | Sunday, Oct 25 | 13:00 |
| Canada — Toronto (EDT) | Sunday, Oct 25 | 16:00 |
| Canada — Vancouver (PDT) | Sunday, Oct 25 | 13:00 |
| United Kingdom — London (GMT) | Sunday, Oct 25 | 20:00 |
| Ireland — Dublin (GMT) | Sunday, Oct 25 | 20:00 |
| Brazil — Brasília (BRT) | Sunday, Oct 25 | 17:00 |
| South Africa — Johannesburg (SAST) | Sunday, Oct 25 | 22:00 |
| India — New Delhi (IST) | Monday, Oct 26 | 01:30 |
| Singapore (SGT) | Monday, Oct 26 | 04:00 |
| Malaysia — Kuala Lumpur (MYT) | Monday, Oct 26 | 04:00 |
| Australia — Perth (AWST) | Monday, Oct 26 | 04:00 |
| Australia — Brisbane (AEST) | Monday, Oct 26 | 06:00 |
| Australia — Sydney/Melbourne (AEDT) | Monday, Oct 26 | 07:00 |
| New Zealand — Auckland (NZDT) | Monday, Oct 26 | 09:00 |
All times are calculated from the official 15:00 local start in Austin. Television coverage may begin before the race.
The race will cover 56 laps of the 5.513km Circuit of The Americas, for a scheduled distance of approximately 308.4km. Unlike some other rounds of the championship, Austin is not hosting a sprint this year, meaning Sunday’s Grand Prix is the only points-paying Formula 1 race of the weekend.
The complete weekend timetable and additional international conversions are available in GRANDE PRÊMIO’s United States GP 2026 schedule and start-time guide.
Who starts on pole position for today’s F1 race?
Kimi Antonelli starts the United States Grand Prix from pole position, having set a lap of 1min34s035 during Saturday’s qualifying session. The Mercedes driver beat Verstappen by 0.179 seconds, with Hadjar completing the top three for Red Bull.
Charles Leclerc qualified fourth for Ferrari, followed by teammate Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in the second Mercedes. Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris will occupy the fourth row for McLaren after Norris had his fastest Q3 lap deleted for exceeding track limits.
The qualifying outcome represented a significant reversal of Friday’s and Saturday morning’s practice results. Ferrari had appeared particularly competitive throughout the weekend, with Leclerc leading the opening two practice sessions and Hamilton topping FP3. However, Antonelli overturned Ferrari’s advantage when it mattered most, securing pole ahead of a resurgent Red Bull.
Verstappen arrives at Austin after consecutive victories in Malaysia and Singapore, while Hadjar’s third-place result reinforces Red Bull’s recent improvement. The front-running contest therefore brings together Mercedes’ championship leader, Ferrari’s strong practice pace and Red Bull’s recent race-winning form.
F1 United States GP 2026 — Starting grid after penalties
Three drivers have received grid penalties for exceeding their permitted allocation of power-unit components, changing the order established in qualifying.
Bortoleto will start 22nd for Audi, while Colapinto drops to 21st after a ten-place penalty. Lindblad, who qualified ninth, falls to 14th because of a five-place sanction, promoting teammate Liam Lawson to ninth.
| Pos. | Driver | Team-Engine | Qualifying time | Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | K. ANTONELLI | Mercedes | 1:34.035 | — |
| 2 | M. VERSTAPPEN | Red Bull-Ford | 1:34.214 | — |
| 3 | I. HADJAR | Red Bull-Ford | 1:34.250 | — |
| 4 | C. LECLERC | Ferrari | 1:34.267 | — |
| 5 | L. HAMILTON | Ferrari | 1:34.311 | — |
| 6 | G. RUSSELL | Mercedes | 1:34.476 | — |
| 7 | O. PIASTRI | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:34.803 | — |
| 8 | L. NORRIS | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:35.049 | — |
| 9 | L. LAWSON | Racing Bulls-Ford | No Q3 time | — |
| 10 | P. GASLY | Alpine-Mercedes | 1:35.080 | — |
| 11 | N. HÜLKENBERG | Audi | 1:35.158 | — |
| 12 | F. ALONSO | Aston Martin-Honda | 1:35.818 | — |
| 13 | O. BEARMAN | Haas-Ferrari | 1:36.031 | — |
| 14 | A. LINDBLAD | Racing Bulls-Ford | 1:36.049 | +5 |
| 15 | E. OCON | Haas-Ferrari | 1:36.531 | — |
| 16 | L. STROLL | Aston Martin-Honda | 1:36.677 | — |
| 17 | C. SAINZ | Williams-Mercedes | 1:36.770 | — |
| 18 | A. ALBON | Williams-Mercedes | 1:36.967 | — |
| 19 | S. PÉREZ | Cadillac-Ferrari | 1:37.433 | — |
| 20 | V. BOTTAS | Cadillac-Ferrari | 1:37.523 | — |
| 21 | F. COLAPINTO | Alpine-Mercedes | 1:35.722 | +10 |
| 22 | G. BORTOLETO | Audi | 1:35.691 | Back of grid |
Starting positions according to Formula 1’s published starting-grid classification. Times are from each driver’s final qualifying segment. Lawson did not set a Q3 time after Racing Bulls decided to preserve tyres. Bortoleto is officially designated as starting from the back following multiple power-unit component penalties.
Bortoleto’s penalty is particularly costly because the Brazilian had qualified 13th, showing enough pace to compete with the midfield. However, additional power-unit changes prompted Audi to accept the back-of-grid sanction before Sunday’s race.
Colapinto also faces a difficult afternoon after his ten-place penalty, while Lindblad’s sanction has created an opportunity for Lawson to start inside the top ten.
The New Zealander revealed that Racing Bulls prevented him from setting a Q3 lap in order to preserve fresh tyres, a strategy that could prove valuable over the 56-lap race.
The complete starting order and circumstances surrounding all three penalties are detailed in GRANDE PRÊMIO’s updated United States Grand Prix starting-grid report.
Can Kimi Antonelli win the F1 World Championship today?
Yes. Antonelli can become the 2026 Formula 1 World Champion in Austin, although victory alone will not be sufficient to guarantee the title.
The Mercedes driver entered the weekend with 340 points, holding a 102-point lead over George Russell and a 111-point advantage over Lewis Hamilton. With five Grands Prix remaining after Austin, a maximum of 125 points will still be available following Sunday’s race.
To secure the championship in the United States, Antonelli must win the Grand Prix and rely on specific results from his closest mathematical rivals.
| Driver | Result required for Antonelli’s title |
|---|---|
| Kimi Antonelli | Win the race |
| George Russell | Finish 9th or lower |
| Lewis Hamilton | Finish 5th or lower |
Russell starts sixth, meaning he must lose at least three positions during the race for Antonelli to clinch the championship. Hamilton qualified fifth, precisely the highest finishing position that would still allow the Mercedes driver to become champion, provided Russell also finishes ninth or lower.
If Antonelli wins and Russell finishes ninth, the championship gap between the Mercedes teammates will reach 125 points. That would equal the maximum remaining total, but Antonelli would hold the decisive advantage on the first tiebreaker — Grand Prix victories.
The Italian already has eight race wins this season and would claim a ninth with victory in Austin. Russell currently has three victories and could reach only eight by winning the remaining five races.
For the full calculations, see how Antonelli can win the 2026 F1 title at Austin after taking pole position.
Where to watch the United States F1 Grand Prix live today
Television and streaming coverage of the 2026 United States Grand Prix varies by country, with different broadcasters holding Formula 1 rights across the championship’s major markets.
In the United States, Apple TV is Formula 1’s exclusive broadcasting home for 2026, covering the Austin race as part of its new agreement. The Grand Prix begins at 16:00 Eastern Time and 13:00 Pacific Time.
British viewers can follow the race on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available through eligible Sky and NOW subscriptions. The 20:00 GMT start is particularly important because the United Kingdom returns to standard time on Sunday morning.
Indian viewers can watch through FanCode, while Fox Sports and Kayo provide coverage in Australia. In New Zealand, the race is carried by Sky Sport, with Lawson starting from ninth on the grid.
F1 United States GP 2026 — TV and streaming by country
| Country | Broadcaster / Platform | Race start |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Apple TV | 16:00 EDT / 13:00 PDT |
| United Kingdom | Sky Sports F1 / NOW | 20:00 GMT |
| Ireland | Sky Sports | 20:00 GMT |
| Canada | TSN / RDS | 16:00 EDT |
| India | FanCode | Monday, 01:30 IST |
| Australia | Fox Sports / Kayo | Monday, 07:00 AEDT |
| New Zealand | Sky Sport | Monday, 09:00 NZDT |
| South Africa | SuperSport | 22:00 SAST |
| Singapore | beIN SPORTS | Monday, 04:00 SGT |
| Malaysia | beIN SPORTS | Monday, 04:00 MYT |
Live coverage availability, subscription requirements and pre-race broadcast start times may differ between providers.
F1 TV services are also available in selected countries, offering live timing, onboard cameras and additional race coverage depending on local broadcasting rights.
For a more detailed breakdown of television channels, streaming options and international coverage, see where to watch the 2026 United States Grand Prix live in the US, UK, India and Australia.
What should fans watch for in today’s United States Grand Prix?
The race presents several important storylines beyond Antonelli’s opportunity to secure the championship.
At the front, Verstappen will attempt to extend Red Bull’s recent winning streak, having taken victories in Malaysia and Singapore. Starting alongside Antonelli gives the Dutchman an immediate opportunity to attack into Turn 1, one of Circuit of The Americas’ most distinctive corners.
Ferrari also has a chance to challenge for its first victory of the season after showing strong pace throughout practice. Although Leclerc and Hamilton failed to convert that speed into pole position, their fourth- and fifth-place starting positions leave both within striking distance of the leaders.
McLaren faces a different challenge. Piastri and Norris begin seventh and eighth, meaning both drivers must recover ground to return to podium contention after a difficult qualifying session.
Further back, Lawson starts ninth after Racing Bulls made the unusual decision to sacrifice his final qualifying attempt. With fresh tyres available for the race, the New Zealander will attempt to turn the team’s strategy into another points finish.
For Bortoleto and Colapinto, the task is considerably harder. Both drivers will start from the final row following power-unit penalties and must work their way through the field to reach the points-paying positions.
When is the next Formula 1 race after Austin?
After the United States Grand Prix, Formula 1 travels to Mexico City for the Mexican Grand Prix on November 1, followed by São Paulo on November 8.
The final rounds of the 2026 season will then take place in Las Vegas on November 21, Qatar on November 29 and Abu Dhabi on December 6.
Antonelli’s championship advantage means the title could be decided in Austin, but if the required results do not materialise, the battle will continue into Mexico.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following every session of the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas this weekend, with breaking news, full coverage and real-time updates in its Formula 1 section.
