News Summary
- The 2026 United States Grand Prix starts at 15:00 local time in Austin on Sunday, October 25, equivalent to 16:00 Eastern Time, 13:00 Pacific Time and 20:00 GMT in the United Kingdom.
- For fans in Asia and Oceania, the race takes place on Monday, October 26, beginning at 01:30 IST in India, 07:00 AEDT in Sydney and Melbourne, and 09:00 NZDT in New Zealand.
- 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 2026 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix takes place today, Sunday, October 25, with the race starting at 15:00 local time at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. The 56-lap event begins at 16:00 on the United States East Coast, 20:00 in the United Kingdom and 17:00 in Brazil, while fans in India, Australia and New Zealand will watch the race during the early hours or morning of Monday, October 26.
The race is the 18th round of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship, with Kimi Antonelli starting from pole position ahead of Max Verstappen after Saturday’s qualifying session. The Italian has his first mathematical opportunity to secure the Drivers’ Championship, while three grid penalties have reshuffled the starting order behind the leading contenders.
What time is the United States Grand Prix today around the world?
The United States Grand Prix begins at 15:00 Central Daylight Time (CDT) in Austin, corresponding to 20:00 UTC. Because Formula 1 attracts audiences across multiple continents, the race will begin on different calendar dates depending on each country’s time zone.
For viewers in North America and Europe, the Grand Prix takes place on Sunday, October 25. Across much of Asia and Oceania, however, the race begins on Monday, October 26, creating particularly late-night viewing hours in India and early-morning starts in Australia and New Zealand.
F1 United States GP 2026 — Race start times worldwide
| Country / City | Date | Local start time |
|---|---|---|
| United States — Austin (CDT) | Sun, Oct 25 | 15:00 |
| United States — New York (EDT) | Sun, Oct 25 | 16:00 |
| United States — Chicago (CDT) | Sun, Oct 25 | 15:00 |
| United States — Denver (MDT) | Sun, Oct 25 | 14:00 |
| United States — Los Angeles (PDT) | Sun, Oct 25 | 13:00 |
| Canada — Toronto (EDT) | Sun, Oct 25 | 16:00 |
| Canada — Vancouver (PDT) | Sun, Oct 25 | 13:00 |
| Mexico — Mexico City (CST) | Sun, Oct 25 | 14:00 |
| United Kingdom — London (GMT) | Sun, Oct 25 | 20:00 |
| Ireland — Dublin (GMT) | Sun, Oct 25 | 20:00 |
| France — Paris (CET) | Sun, Oct 25 | 21:00 |
| Germany — Berlin (CET) | Sun, Oct 25 | 21:00 |
| Spain — Madrid (CET) | Sun, Oct 25 | 21:00 |
| Portugal — Lisbon (WET) | Sun, Oct 25 | 20:00 |
| Brazil — Brasília (BRT) | Sun, Oct 25 | 17:00 |
| Argentina — Buenos Aires (ART) | Sun, Oct 25 | 17:00 |
| South Africa — Johannesburg (SAST) | Sun, Oct 25 | 22:00 |
| UAE — Dubai (GST) | Mon, Oct 26 | 00:00 |
| India — New Delhi (IST) | Mon, Oct 26 | 01:30 |
| Pakistan — Karachi (PKT) | Mon, Oct 26 | 01:00 |
| Thailand — Bangkok (ICT) | Mon, Oct 26 | 03:00 |
| Singapore (SGT) | Mon, Oct 26 | 04:00 |
| Malaysia — Kuala Lumpur (MYT) | Mon, Oct 26 | 04:00 |
| Philippines — Manila (PHT) | Mon, Oct 26 | 04:00 |
| Japan — Tokyo (JST) | Mon, Oct 26 | 05:00 |
| Australia — Perth (AWST) | Mon, Oct 26 | 04:00 |
| Australia — Brisbane (AEST) | Mon, Oct 26 | 06:00 |
| Australia — Sydney/Melbourne (AEDT) | Mon, Oct 26 | 07:00 |
| New Zealand — Auckland (NZDT) | Mon, Oct 26 | 09:00 |
All times correspond to the scheduled race start at 15:00 in Austin, with daylight saving changes accounted for.
The Grand Prix is scheduled for 56 laps of the 5.513km Circuit of The Americas, covering a total distance of approximately 308.4km. Race duration can vary depending on safety-car interventions, weather conditions and possible stoppages, but the event has a maximum scheduled duration of two hours under normal circumstances.
Why does the F1 race start at 8pm in the UK today?
The United States Grand Prix begins at 20:00 GMT in the United Kingdom, an important detail because British clocks moved back one hour during the early hours of Sunday, October 25.
The United Kingdom ended British Summer Time (BST) and returned to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) when clocks changed from 02:00 BST to 01:00 GMT. Meanwhile, Austin remains on Central Daylight Time until the United States changes its clocks on November 1.
As a result, the time difference between London and Austin is now five hours rather than six. Saturday’s qualifying session began at 22:00 BST, but Sunday’s race starts at 20:00 GMT, despite the local Austin start moving back by only one hour.
The change is particularly relevant for British fans comparing the Grand Prix timetable with the previous days’ sessions. The correct UK race start time is 8pm, not 9pm.
The impact of the clock change, including the Sky Sports coverage schedule, is explained in GRANDE PRÊMIO’s dedicated UK guide to the United States Grand Prix start time.
What time is the United States F1 Grand Prix in India?
Indian fans will have to stay awake into Monday morning to follow the race live. The United States Grand Prix begins at 01:30 IST on Monday, October 26, exactly 10 hours and 30 minutes after the scheduled local start in Austin.
India operates on a single time zone and does not observe daylight saving time, meaning the start is identical in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and every other Indian city.
The event will be broadcast through FanCode, with live coverage also available via eligible F1 TV subscriptions. Depending on the selected platform, fans can access additional features such as onboard cameras, live timing and alternative commentary options.
With Antonelli starting from pole position and potentially securing his first world championship, Indian viewers could witness an important moment in Formula 1 history during the early hours of Monday.
The full local schedule and streaming information can be found in GRANDE PRÊMIO’s India-specific guide to the United States Grand Prix.
What time is the F1 United States Grand Prix in Australia and New Zealand?
The United States Grand Prix takes place on Monday morning, October 26, in Australia and New Zealand, making it considerably easier to watch live than the late-night schedule facing fans in India.
In Sydney and Melbourne, the race begins at 07:00 AEDT, while Brisbane viewers can follow the start at 06:00 AEST. Perth is two hours behind Brisbane, with the Grand Prix scheduled for 04:00 AWST.
New Zealand viewers will see the race start at 09:00 NZDT on Monday, providing an opportunity to follow Liam Lawson’s efforts to score points for Racing Bulls.
The New Zealander qualified for Q3 on Saturday but did not set a time in the final segment after Racing Bulls decided to preserve fresh tyres for the race. Lawson will nevertheless start ninth because teammate Arvid Lindblad received a five-place grid penalty.
As Lawson explained after qualifying, he had wanted to attempt another flying lap but accepted the team’s decision to prioritise its race strategy.
Australian fans can watch through Fox Sports, Foxtel and Kayo Sports, while Sky Sport provides Formula 1 coverage in New Zealand.
Where to watch the 2026 United States Grand Prix live
Formula 1 broadcasting rights differ by territory, with streaming services and television channels providing coverage across the championship’s main markets.
In the United States, Apple TV is the exclusive broadcaster of Formula 1 in 2026, following the start of its five-year agreement with the championship. The service provides live coverage of the Austin race alongside onboard cameras, additional feeds and race replays.
British viewers can follow the Grand Prix on Sky Sports F1 or through eligible NOW subscriptions. FanCode provides coverage in India, while Fox Sports and Kayo are among the options available in Australia.
United States GP 2026 — TV and streaming worldwide
| Country / Market | Broadcaster or streaming service |
|---|---|
| United States | Apple TV |
| United Kingdom | Sky Sports F1 / NOW |
| Canada | TSN / RDS / Noovo |
| Ireland | Sky Sports / NOW |
| India | FanCode / F1 TV |
| Australia | Fox Sports / Foxtel / Kayo |
| New Zealand | Sky Sport |
| South Africa | SuperSport |
| Singapore | beIN SPORTS |
| Malaysia | beIN SPORTS |
Broadcast availability, subscription requirements and coverage start times may vary by country.
The complete breakdown of authorised services, subscription options and race start times is available in GRANDE PRÊMIO’s guide to watching the 2026 United States Grand Prix live.
Who starts on pole position for today’s United States Grand Prix?
Kimi Antonelli will start from pole position after producing a lap of 1min34s035 during Saturday’s qualifying session, beating Max Verstappen by 0.179 seconds. Isack Hadjar completed the top three, giving Red Bull two cars among the first three starters.
Charles Leclerc qualified fourth for Ferrari, ahead of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris occupy seventh and eighth for McLaren, with Lawson starting ninth after Lindblad’s penalty.
Ferrari had appeared particularly competitive during practice, with Leclerc topping both Friday sessions and Hamilton leading FP3 on Saturday. However, Antonelli defeated Verstappen in qualifying as Ferrari’s hopes of taking pole collapsed.
F1 United States GP 2026 — First ten starting positions
| Pos. | Driver | Team-Engine |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | K. ANTONELLI | Mercedes |
| 2 | M. VERSTAPPEN | Red Bull-Ford |
| 3 | I. HADJAR | Red Bull-Ford |
| 4 | C. LECLERC | Ferrari |
| 5 | L. HAMILTON | Ferrari |
| 6 | G. RUSSELL | Mercedes |
| 7 | O. PIASTRI | McLaren-Mercedes |
| 8 | L. NORRIS | McLaren-Mercedes |
| 9 | L. LAWSON | Racing Bulls-Ford |
| 10 | P. GASLY | Alpine-Mercedes |
The starting grid has also been affected by penalties imposed on Lindblad, Franco Colapinto and Gabriel Bortoleto, who exceeded their permitted allocation of power-unit components.
Lindblad drops from ninth in qualifying to 14th, while Colapinto and Bortoleto will start from the final row in 21st and 22nd respectively.
The full 22-driver classification, including the qualifying times and penalties, is available in GRANDE PRÊMIO’s revised starting grid for the United States Grand Prix.
Can Antonelli become Formula 1 World Champion today?
The United States Grand Prix could also decide the 2026 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship, with Antonelli holding a 102-point advantage over Mercedes teammate George Russell and a 111-point lead over Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton before the race.
With five Grands Prix remaining after Austin, the Italian has an opportunity to establish a mathematically unassailable advantage, although winning Sunday’s race will not be sufficient on its own.
Antonelli must win, with Russell finishing ninth or lower and Hamilton fifth or lower, to satisfy the championship scenarios calculated ahead of the event.
Russell starts sixth on the grid, while Hamilton qualified fifth. Their finishing positions could therefore determine whether Antonelli claims the title in Austin or must wait until the following round in Mexico City.
The calculations and possible results are explained in GRANDE PRÊMIO’s guide to how Antonelli can win the 2026 Formula 1 title at Austin.
When is the next F1 race after the United States Grand Prix?
Following Austin, the championship heads to Mexico City for the Mexican Grand Prix on Sunday, November 1.
The Mexican race is scheduled to begin at 14:00 local time, equivalent to 20:00 GMT in the United Kingdom and 01:30 IST on Monday, November 2, in India.
Mexico City will be followed by São Paulo, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, completing the final five races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
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.
