STAR F1 PREVIEW: 2026 United States Grand Prix

Kimi Antonelli has his first opportunity to become Formula 1’s youngest-ever World Champion at this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, but Max Verstappen’s late-season resurgence threatens to delay the Mercedes driver’s coronation.

The Italian heads to Texas with a commanding 102-point advantage over team-mate George Russell, having won eight Grands Prix in a remarkable campaign. However, Verstappen has now taken consecutive victories in Malaysia and Singapore, while Ferrari and McLaren remain firmly in the hunt for podium finishes.

Austin’s Circuit of The Americas offers a very different challenge to Singapore, with fast sweeping corners, long straights and heavy braking zones providing a stern examination of the new-generation cars, writes WILLIAM KEDJANYI.

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🇺🇸 2026 Formula 1 MSC Cruises United States Grand Prix

Circuit of The Americas, Austin, Texas

All coverage live on Sky Sports F1, Sky Go & NOW – UK times

3️⃣ Practice Three: 6.30pm Saturday
⏰ Qualifying: 10pm Saturday (BST)
🏆 Race: 8pm Sunday (GMT)

UK clocks go back on Sunday morning.

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The Story from Singapore

Max Verstappen continued his late-season resurgence with a commanding victory at the Singapore Grand Prix, completing a clean sweep of Sprint pole, Sprint victory, Grand Prix pole and Grand Prix victory on his 250th Formula 1 start.

The four-time World Champion had never previously won at Marina Bay, but he put that right in emphatic fashion, holding off Charles Leclerc at the start before controlling proceedings to claim his 73rd career victory and second successive Grand Prix win.

Verstappen eventually finished 7.335 seconds ahead of Leclerc, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli completing the podium in third, 24.573 seconds behind the winner.

Ferrari had looked capable of challenging Red Bull, particularly during the opening stint, but Leclerc ultimately had to settle for second. Lewis Hamilton appeared to be in contention for a podium before struggling with his tyres during the closing stages, eventually slipping to sixth behind the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who finished fourth and fifth respectively.

Antonelli endured a more complicated afternoon, reporting braking problems and concerns about his car, but recovered to take third after overtaking Hamilton late in the race. His podium extended his championship advantage over Mercedes team-mate George Russell to 102 points, with the Briton recovering from 19th on the grid to finish ninth.

Elsewhere, Liam Lawson delivered another strong result for Racing Bulls in seventh, ahead of Nico Hulkenberg’s Audi, while Isack Hadjar completed the points-paying positions in tenth.

The weekend had already provided plenty of drama, with Verstappen winning a rain-affected Sprint after Russell crashed out of the lead on the opening lap. A late collision between McLaren team-mates Norris and Piastri added to the chaos, allowing Hamilton and Leclerc to complete the Sprint podium.

Verstappen’s dominance suggests Red Bull have made significant progress heading into the final stages of the season, but Antonelli remains firmly in control of the championship battle. The Italian now heads to Austin knowing that victory, combined with favourable results elsewhere, could be enough to secure his first World Championship.

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Race Winners/Pole Sitters 🏆

🇦🇺 Australia – George Russell / George Russell
🇨🇳 China – Kimi Antonelli / Kimi Antonelli
🇯🇵 Japan – Kimi Antonelli / Kimi Antonelli
🇺🇸 Miami – Kimi Antonelli / Kimi Antonelli
🇨🇦 Canada – Kimi Antonelli / George Russell
🇲🇨 Monaco – Kimi Antonelli / Kimi Antonelli
🇪🇸 Barcelona-Catalunya – Lewis Hamilton / George Russell
🇦🇹 Austria – George Russell / George Russell
🇬🇧 Great Britain – Charles Leclerc / Kimi Antonelli
🇧🇪 Belgium – Kimi Antonelli / Kimi Antonelli
🇭🇺 Hungary – Lando Norris / Lando Norris
🇳🇱 Netherlands – Lando Norris / Lando Norris
🇮🇹 Italy – Kimi Antonelli / Pierre Gasly
🇪🇸 Spain – Kimi Antonelli / Lando Norris
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan – George Russell / George Russell
🇲🇾 Bahrain in Malaysia – Max Verstappen / Max Verstappen
🇸🇬 Singapore – Max Verstappen / Max Verstappen

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Standings 📊

Driver / Car / Points (Wins, Podiums):

1. 🇮🇹 Kimi Antonelli / Mercedes / 340 pts (8 wins, 14 podiums)
2. 🇬🇧 George Russell / Mercedes / 238 pts (3 wins, 8 podiums)
3. 🇬🇧 Lewis Hamilton / Ferrari / 229 pts (1 win, 6 podiums)
4. 🇳🇱 Max Verstappen / Red Bull / 221 pts (2 wins, 9 podiums)
5. 🇲🇨 Charles Leclerc / Ferrari / 215 pts (1 win, 5 podiums)
6. 🇬🇧 Lando Norris / McLaren / 201 pts (2 wins, 5 podiums)
7. 🇦🇺 Oscar Piastri / McLaren / 138 pts (0 wins, 2 podiums)
8. 🇫🇷 Isack Hadjar / Red Bull / 97 pts (0 wins, 2 podiums)
9. 🇳🇿 Liam Lawson / Racing Bulls / 75 pts (0 wins, 0 podiums)
10. 🇫🇷 Pierre Gasly / Alpine / 41 pts (0 wins, 0 podiums)

Title Permutations 🏆

Kimi Antonelli heads to Austin with a 102-point lead over George Russell and his first mathematical opportunity to secure the World Championship. With six Grands Prix remaining, there are 150 points still available, falling to 125 after Sunday’s race. Antonelli can therefore become Formula 1’s youngest-ever World Champion if he wins in Texas, Russell finishes ninth or lower and Lewis Hamilton finishes fifth or lower. Even if Russell takes ninth, Antonelli’s superior victory tally would settle the championship on countback. A second-place finish would not be enough for the Italian to clinch the title this weekend, regardless of Russell’s result.

🏎️ Constructors (Wins, Podiums):

1. ⚪ Mercedes – 578 pts (11 wins, 22 podiums)
2. 🔴 Ferrari – 444 pts (2 wins, 11 podiums)
3. 🟠 McLaren – 339 pts (2 wins, 7 podiums)
4. 🔵 Red Bull Racing – 332 pts (2 wins, 11 podiums)
5. ⚫ Racing Bulls – 100 pts (0 wins, 0 podiums)
6. 🔷 Alpine – 68 pts (0 wins, 0 podiums)
7. ⚪ Haas – 30 pts (0 wins, 0 podiums)
8. 🟢 Audi – 23 pts (0 wins, 0 podiums)
9. 🔵 Williams – 12 pts (0 wins, 0 podiums)
10. 🟢 Aston Martin – 7 pts (0 wins, 0 podiums)
11. ⚪ Cadillac – 0 pts (0 wins, 0 podiums)

Standings correct after the Singapore Grand Prix.

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Track Guide 🚦

Circuit: Circuit of The Americas
Location: Austin, Texas
Length: 5.513km
Laps: 56
Race distance: 308.405km
Corners: 20
First Grand Prix: 2012
Lap record: 1:36.169 – Charles Leclerc (2019)

Circuit of The Americas is one of Formula 1’s most complete modern circuits, featuring a combination of high-speed direction changes, slow technical corners, two substantial straights and dramatic elevation changes.

The lap begins with the steep climb towards Turn 1, where drivers brake heavily before tackling a tight left-hand hairpin. The wide approach allows several different racing lines, making it one of the circuit’s most obvious overtaking opportunities, particularly at the start.

From there, drivers sweep through the fast Esses between Turns 3 and 6, inspired by Silverstone’s Maggotts and Becketts sequence. This section demands sharp changes of direction, excellent front-end response and a stable aerodynamic platform.

The long back straight between Turns 11 and 12 provides another major passing opportunity, before the cars enter the slower stadium-style section. The long right-hander through Turns 16-18 places sustained loads on the tyres, while the final two corners reward traction and a well-balanced car.

What will the 2026 cars and drivers face?

The new-generation cars should face a particularly demanding challenge here. Austin requires strong aerodynamic performance through the fast opening sector, but the long straights also reward efficient electrical energy deployment and low drag.

Drivers must manage energy usage carefully across the lap, particularly on the long acceleration zones leading towards Turns 1 and 12. Teams that can combine efficient deployment with strong mechanical grip should be well placed.

The bumps and elevation changes add another complication. A car running too low or too stiff could struggle over the uneven surface, while a softer set-up may compromise precision through the Esses. Finding the right compromise between ride quality, straight-line speed and cornering performance will be essential.

Which cars should Austin suit?

Mercedes have produced the most consistently competitive package of the season, and their combination of strong qualifying speed and efficient race performance should make them formidable once again.

Red Bull arrive with momentum after Verstappen’s consecutive victories, and the long straights and fast direction changes could provide a useful test of whether their recent improvement translates to a more conventional circuit.

Ferrari’s performance through medium- and high-speed corners will be important, while McLaren will be hoping the flowing sections of the lap play to their strengths. However, the range of corner speeds at Austin means that any weakness in traction, balance or energy deployment could quickly become apparent.

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Tactics 🧠

Pirelli have selected the C2 Hard, C3 Medium and C4 Soft compounds for the weekend, with tyre management likely to play an important role on a circuit featuring several long, demanding corners.

The high-speed opening sector and sustained loads through Turns 16-18 can place considerable stress on the tyres, particularly the fronts, while traction out of the slower corners will also influence degradation.

Unlike Singapore, overtaking is a realistic prospect at Austin, especially into Turns 1 and 12. That gives teams greater strategic flexibility, although drivers who lose time in traffic could still find themselves at a disadvantage.

Safety Cars and Virtual Safety Cars can influence the pit-stop calculations, while the circuit’s relatively long pit lane means teams will need to weigh the value of fresh tyres against the time lost making an additional stop.

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Weather 🌤️

Saturday, October 24 – FP3 and Qualifying:

Another warm day is forecast, with sunny intervals and temperatures climbing towards 30°C. Rain appears unlikely on the current detailed forecast, with only a 3% chance during the day. Track temperatures could remain high for Qualifying, potentially making tyre preparation and avoiding overheating especially important.

Maximum temperature: 30°C
Minimum temperature: 16°C
Chance of rain: 3%

Sunday, October 25 – Race:

Conditions are expected to be slightly cooler for the Grand Prix, with sunny spells, broken cloud and temperatures reaching around 28°C. The latest detailed forecast indicates an 8% chance of rain during the day, although other forecasts have suggested a greater risk of showers, making this worth monitoring.

Maximum temperature: 28°C
Minimum temperature: 14°C
Chance of rain: 8%

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Friday Practice Reflections 🏎️

Friday’s practice sets up a tantalising prospect for qualifying and the race, given how closely matched the big four teams were. The wide ranging nature of this track, which tests every facet of a team’s car, means that Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes, all separated by less than two tenths on single-lap pace, excelled and struggled at different parts of the track.

Ferrari, especially with Charles Leclerc, fastest in both FP1 and FP2, excelled in slow corners, The Red Bull, led by Max Verstappen, was the fastest car on the straights whilst also being very competitive in high-speed sections, although they were searching for more balance ahead of FP3 and qualifying, particularly over the bumps.

Mercedes, with both Kimi Antonelli and Goerge Russell running the new upgraded package, both looked competitive, with Antonelli in particularly strong in Turns 8-9, Turn 15 and Turn 12, whilst McLaren’s FP2 timing wasn’t representative as Lando Norris had to abandon both of his qualifying simulation laps, having used the hard tyre. Norris’ long run pace was the fastest overall, although there are a number of caveats there with all three tyre compounds used.

There were also some separations between team mates, with Leclerc clear of Hamilton, Verstappen clear of a struggling Hadjar, especially with tyre degradation, and Antonelli once again quicker than George Russell, for all that setup changes are going to take place in order to close the gap between the pair too.

The theoretical fastest lap belonged to Leclerc from FP1 and FP2, albeit with not much separating him, Antonelli and Verstappen. With qualifying sims set for FP3, the race pace picture is relatively unclear – all four teams are close but none dominates, and teams will be working to improve rapidly overnight.

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FIRST VERDICT 🏁

This season has been a story of development amongst teams – common for a new regulation era – with Mercedes having led the way for a large amount of the season whilst we’ve seen big steps from Ferrari, McLaren and now Red Bull, who have remarkably built the best engine in Formula One and built a car worthy of Max Verstappen’s talent. Verstappen’s back to back victories in Malaysia and Singapore – rewarding his typically incredible level of performance – were not only down to the unlocking of performance that Red Bull Power Trains have managed especially in terms of calibration, but also the upgrades delivered from the technical department that have given him a stable platform to attack from.

A new changed floor, diffuser, sidepods, cooling louvres, mirrors and halo fairing combined with yet more gains from the engine and power unit – have quickly put the RB22 right at the head of the pack, allowing Verstappen to show his best.

The Friday running suggests that the order might be slightly closer than prices suggest, for all that Red Bull’s improvement over a weekend this season would tilt the scales in favour of Verstappen if continued. The 4/6 on Kimi Antonelli taking another podium finish with Star Sports makes good appeal based on what we’ve seen – both his race pace and one lap pace looked strong and plenty of this circuit’s set up suits the Mercedes, with straightline and high speed performance that could help it split the difference between the upgraded Ferrari’s cornering and Red Bull’s power.

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SUNDAY PRE-RACE VERDICT 🏁

A clutch lap from Kimi Antonelli saw him take pole in what looked like a wide-open session beforehand based on the three practice sessions, and the Champion-elect – tipped for a podium at 4/6 before FP3 – is likely to take a big step closer to sealing a first crown, with Lewis Hamilton fifth and George Russell sixth, having lapped more than four tenths off Antonelli, and lucky to start there considering Lando Norris’s track limits violation.

We should be all set for an exciting race, given how testing COTA is for the cars and drivers, with race pace the key for tonight’s clash. Pole has only won once in the last four races in Austin, and last year was the only renewal in the last three when the fastest car on Saturday was also the fastest on Sunday.

We can expect fireworks into Turn 1 between Antonelli and second-place starter Max Verstappen, with the pair clear in the starsports.bet markets – it’s 16/1 for Charles Leclerc and bigger for the rest – and it’s tough to pick between the pair. Antonelli’s race pace has been a core part of his championship success and the Mercedes’ all-round performance has been rock solid here but there’s precious little between the pair on what we’ve seen and the Friday running hasn’t been conclusive either, with traffic interrupting laps and all three compounds being used too. Pirelli suggests the hard isn’t going to be used much once again – of the top eight, it’s interesting to note that both Red Bulls have two new sets of softs and Charles Leclerc also has one.

We should have a great battle for the win, but the podium fight should be intense also, along with the battle for the last two points paying places on the grid. Isack Hadjar starts third after a fine lap that had pole position potential, although the odds are pretty firmly against him given the struggles he’d had with trye degradation and unbalance right until qualifying itself. His race pace is a mystery but it would be no surprise if he was fastest than his Friday running given the setup changes clearly made between practice and qualifying.

Charles Leclerc was faster than Antonelli and Verstappen in Q1 and Q2 before being unable to find the right window in Q3, which proved to be a key difference combined with the lack of power the Ferrari engine has in comparison to Red Bull and Mercedes. That said, he’s been fast all weekend, a fast start would be no surprise, he goes very well around COTA and 7/10 for a podium will be of interest to many.

Star also have a market on who finishes second here, where both Leclerc and Antonelli are of interest at 5/2 and 11/4 respectively.

Racing Bulls managed to sneak both cars into Q3 – a fine effort from Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad, both of whom have had an excellent season.

Lindblad starts from 14th after a five-place grid penalty for a new engine but the pace of the VCARB 03 is clearly better than that and 7/5 on a Lindblad points finish with starsports.bet should give backers a good run for their money.

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PROFIT/LOSS (2026): -26.63 points

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