{"id":4226,"date":"2026-10-20T18:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T21:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/?p=4226"},"modified":"2026-10-20T18:38:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T21:38:15","slug":"f1-today-antonelli-title-chance-horners-mercedes-revelations-and-major-2028-rule-reversal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/f1-today-antonelli-title-chance-horners-mercedes-revelations-and-major-2028-rule-reversal\/","title":{"rendered":"F1 today: Antonelli title chance, Horner&#8217;s Mercedes revelations and major 2028 rule reversal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">News Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Kimi Antonelli can win the 2026 Formula 1 championship in Austin<\/strong>, with Christian Horner arguing that Mercedes should recognise him as its leading driver.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Formula 1 plans to restore 305km Grands Prix in 2028<\/strong>, after temporarily reducing race distances to 290km in 2027.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Max Verstappen can equal Lewis Hamilton&#8217;s Austin victory record<\/strong>, while Colton Herta prepares to drive Cadillac&#8217;s car in Friday practice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Formula 1&#8217;s preparations for the United States Grand Prix dominated the news on Tuesday, October 20<\/strong>, with Kimi Antonelli approaching his first opportunity to secure the world championship, Christian Horner revealing previously unknown details about Mercedes and the FIA&#8217;s latest regulations pointing towards another major change in 2028.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Max Verstappen also enters Austin with a chance to equal Lewis Hamilton&#8217;s record of five victories at Circuit of The Americas, while Cadillac has confirmed that Colton Herta will replace Sergio P\u00e9rez during Friday&#8217;s opening practice session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are the main Formula 1 stories published by <strong>GRANDE PR\u00caMIO<\/strong> on October 20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Antonelli can become F1 champion in Austin \u2014 but needs help<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Kimi Antonelli enters the United States Grand Prix with a 102-point championship lead over George Russell<\/strong>, giving the Mercedes driver his first opportunity to secure the 2026 world title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Italian must win Sunday&#8217;s race, with Russell finishing ninth or lower and Lewis Hamilton fifth or lower, to establish an unassailable advantage with five Grands Prix remaining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Antonelli has already won eight races this season and could become Formula 1&#8217;s youngest world champion, breaking Sebastian Vettel&#8217;s record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/can-antonelli-win-the-f1-title-in-austin-every-result-he-needs\/\">complete Austin championship scenarios explain the exact results Antonelli needs<\/a>, including how the victory countback could decide the championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Horner urges Mercedes to prioritise Antonelli over Russell<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner believes <strong>Antonelli has earned the right to be recognised as Mercedes&#8217; leading driver<\/strong>, arguing that teams risk losing championships when they refuse to acknowledge a clear performance advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Horner pointed to Williams&#8217; defeat in the 1986 Drivers&#8217; Championship, when Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet competed against each other while Alain Prost secured the title for McLaren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His comments contrast with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff&#8217;s insistence that Antonelli and Russell continue receiving equal treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/horner-urges-mercedes-to-put-antonelli-ahead-of-russell-as-f1-title-looms\/\">Horner warned Mercedes against maintaining two equal championship contenders<\/a> when one driver has established a substantial advantage through results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Horner reveals why he rejected Mercedes before Wolff&#8217;s arrival<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Horner also revealed that <strong>Niki Lauda offered him the opportunity to lead Mercedes in late 2012<\/strong>, before Toto Wolff joined the organisation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the former Red Bull boss, Lauda personally visited his home with a lucrative proposal while Mercedes was preparing to welcome Hamilton for the 2013 season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Horner rejected the offer because of his loyalty to Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz and the team he had led since 2005.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/horner-reveals-he-rejected-mercedes-f1-job-before-wolff-era-i-was-loyal-to-red-bull\/\">Horner&#8217;s account of the Mercedes offer reveals how close he came to joining the team before its hybrid-era dominance<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">F1 prepares to restore traditional 305km races in 2028<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Formula 1&#8217;s shorter 290km Grands Prix are set to last only one season<\/strong>, with the proposed 2028 regulations restoring the traditional minimum race distance of 305km.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The reduction planned for 2027 was introduced to accommodate increased fuel-energy flow and reduce the immediate need for expensive changes to fuel-tank packaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, Article B2.5.2 of the proposed 2028 Sporting Regulations establishes the return to 305km, with Monaco retaining its shorter 260km requirement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/f1-reverses-290km-race-plan-as-305km-grands-prix-return-in-2028\/\">The planned return to 305km races in 2028 raises new questions about fuel consumption and tank capacity<\/a>, particularly as combustion-engine output is scheduled to increase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Verstappen can equal Hamilton&#8217;s historic Austin record<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Max Verstappen needs one more victory at Circuit of The Americas to equal Lewis Hamilton&#8217;s record of five wins<\/strong> at the Texas venue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hamilton won at Austin in 2012 and four consecutive times between 2014 and 2017, while Verstappen claimed victories in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Red Bull driver arrives after consecutive wins in Malaysia and Singapore, having recovered strongly during the second half of the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/verstappen-can-match-hamiltons-austin-f1-win-record-as-red-bull-revival-threatens-mercedes\/\">Verstappen&#8217;s four Austin victories leave him one win away from matching Hamilton&#8217;s Circuit of The Americas record<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Herta replaces P\u00e9rez for Cadillac&#8217;s Austin practice session<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Colton Herta will replace Sergio P\u00e9rez in Cadillac&#8217;s opening practice session at the United States Grand Prix<\/strong>, making his fourth official Formula 1 practice appearance of 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The American returns to the circuit where he claimed his first IndyCar victory in 2019, becoming the youngest winner in the championship&#8217;s history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Herta&#8217;s appearance forms part of Cadillac&#8217;s development programme, with P\u00e9rez returning to the car for FP2 and the remainder of the weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/herta-replaces-perez-at-cadillac-for-austin-f1-practice-in-emotional-american-homecoming\/\">Herta&#8217;s Cadillac appearance at Austin brings the American back to the scene of his first IndyCar triumph<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">McLaren faces Red Bull threat after losing 83-point advantage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>McLaren&#8217;s advantage over Red Bull in the Constructors&#8217; Championship has fallen from 83 points to just seven<\/strong>, reflecting Verstappen&#8217;s remarkable recovery during the second half of the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Red Bull has become the strongest points-scoring team since the summer break, while McLaren has struggled to maintain its earlier competitiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The battle for third place now represents one of the most important championship contests during the final six rounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/mclarens-83-point-f1-lead-over-red-bull-has-almost-disappeared-who-will-be-third\/\">McLaren&#8217;s shrinking advantage over Red Bull has transformed the fight for third in the 2026 Constructors&#8217; Championship<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When is the United States Grand Prix?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The United States Grand Prix takes place at Circuit of The Americas on October 23\u201325.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><th>Session<\/th><th>Austin (CDT)<\/th><th>Bras\u00edlia (BRT)<\/th><th>United Kingdom<\/th><\/tr><tr><td>Friday FP1<\/td><td>12:30<\/td><td>14:30<\/td><td>18:30 BST<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Friday FP2<\/td><td>16:00<\/td><td>18:00<\/td><td>22:00 BST<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Saturday FP3<\/td><td>12:30<\/td><td>14:30<\/td><td>18:30 BST<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Saturday qualifying<\/td><td>16:00<\/td><td>18:00<\/td><td>22:00 BST<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Sunday race<\/td><td>15:00<\/td><td>17:00<\/td><td>20:00 GMT<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/what-time-is-f1-qualifying-at-austin-us-gp-start-times-for-every-country\/\">full international qualifying guide<\/a> provides start times for the United States, United Kingdom, India, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kimi Antonelli&#8217;s first championship opportunity, Christian Horner&#8217;s revelations about Mercedes and the return of 305km races in 2028 headline Tuesday&#8217;s Formula 1 news ahead of the United States Grand Prix.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1020317168,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"42wp_featured_image_caption":"Andrea Kimi Antonelli ","42wp_featured_image_credits":"Mercedes","42wp_featured_video":"","42wp_ai_content_disclaimer":"","42wp_is_ai_content":false,"42wp_featured_image_hidden":false,"42wp_authors_list":[{"id":7,"location":""}],"footnotes":"","42wp_hide_from_automatic":false,"42wp_breaking_news":false},"categories":[5],"tags":[19,617,64,718],"42wp_author":[7],"class_list":["post-4226","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-f1","tag-andrea-kimi-antonelli","tag-christian-horner","tag-max-verstappen","tag-united-states-gp","42wp_author-victor-martins"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4226","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4226"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4226\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4227,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4226\/revisions\/4227"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1020317168"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4226"},{"taxonomy":"42wp_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/42wp_author?post=4226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}