Formula 1 heads to the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, this weekend for Round 18 of the 2026 season. And there’s a very real chance we could see a new world champion crowned.
Kimi Antonelli currently has a 102-point lead over his teammate George Russell and could very well secure his first Drivers’ Championship this weekend. This would make him the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history, a record that was previously held by Sebastian Vettel.
But there are still plenty of other storylines to follow this weekend at the Circuit of the Americas. Can Max Verstappen continue his winning streak? Will Kimi Antonelli continue his good run of form of will Russell begin an unlikely challenge to catch up?
Let’s go over the race schedule, drivers to watch, key storylines for the weekend, and more.
Full Weekend Schedule (South African Time – SAST)
Friday, 23 October
- Free Practice 1: 19:30–20:30
- Free Practice 2: 23:00–00:00
Saturday, 24 October
- Free Practice 3: 19:30–20:30
- Qualifying: 23:00–00:00
Sunday, 25 October
- Race: 22:00–00:00
United States Grand Prix Race Details
First up, here are some quick facts and important details about this week’s race at the Circuit of the Americas.
| Round | 18 |
| Location | Austin, Texas, USA |
| Circuit | Circuit of the Americas |
| Laps | 56 |
| Track Length | 5.513km |
| Race Distance | 308.405km |
| Previous Race Winner | Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) |
Previous Race: What Happened at the Singapore Grand Prix?
The F1 Sprint race last time around was Singa-pouring rain before the race even began, resulting in a delayed start.
Then, chaos. The first few corners after the start of the Sprint saw no incidents until George Russell lost his car on lap three, causing him to DNF from the race. That would just be the start of a very disappointing weekend for him that may have been the nail in the coffin of his championship hopes. Verstappen game out victorious, with Hamilton P2 and Leclerc P3. There was a total of nine DNFs.
The Singapore Grand Prix was much less eventful, with four DNFs. Max Verstappen won in Singapore for the first time in a full race, with Leclerc coming in P2 and Antonelli P3. Other notable performances included Isack Hadjar who finished P10 after making up 12 places, and Russell who made up 10 to reach P9.
Weekend Overview: Key Considerations
Kimi Antonelli Could Win the Drivers’ Championship
This is undoubtedly the biggest story of the weekend. Kimi Antonelli is set to become the 2026 Formula 1 Drivers’ Champion this weekend, if all goes in his favour.
The Mercedes driver currently has 340 points, with George Russell on 238 and Lewis Hamilton on 229. If Antonelli wins the United States Grand Prix, Russell finishes ninth or lower and Hamilton finishes fifth or lower, Antonelli will have a lead of at least 125 points with only five races remaining.
That would be enough to secure the title.
Of course, this would require poorer performances from Russell and Hamilton, but there’s still a chance that Antonelli could become the youngest Drivers’ Champion in F1 history.
McLaren Brings Upgrades to Austin
The current reigning Constructors’ Champions are bringing a new upgrade package to the US Grand Prix this weekend. With Red Bull’s recent improvements in their own performance, McLaren needs to make a significant step to protect third place in the championship.
McLaren will also be hoping that the Circuit of the Americas is better suited to their car. But overall, both McLaren drivers have been having lacklustre results compared to last year’s performance. They’ll need all the help they can get.
Verstappen Could Delay the Championship Conclusion
Red Bull’s improvements thus far have paid off for Verstappen, who’s won the last two Grand Prix (three, if you count the Sprint). Singapore was a track he’d never won at previously, and he managed to come out victorious.
If he carries that same energy and confidence into this weekend, a place he’s won at just last year, then he could win again. That would delay the championship conclusion even more and potentially give Russell a chance to catch up.
Verstappen could be the key to a photo finish for the Drivers’ Championship this year.
Drivers to Watch
Kimi Antonelli
Antonelli has been the standout driver of the 2026 season and heads into Austin with eight victories and 14 podiums from the first 17 Grands Prix. He also has a 102-point advantage over Russell.
He didn’t have the easiest weekend in Singapore, with brake issues and track-limit problems affecting his performance, but he still managed to finish third.
Now, he has a chance to do something that would make this season even more memorable. If he wins in Austin and gets the right results behind him, Kimi Antonelli will be a Formula 1 World Champion.
Max Verstappen
The Red Bull driver has suddenly found his rhythm, winning in both Malaysia and Singapore. His Singapore victory was particularly impressive, as he led from start to finish and finally secured his first-ever Grand Prix win at Marina Bay.
Now he returns to one of his favourite circuits. Verstappen won the 2025 United States Grand Prix and has been a regular contender at COTA throughout his career. He is also now fourth in the championship and has closed the gap to the drivers ahead after his recent run of form.
If Red Bull can get the balance right, another Verstappen victory could be on the cards.
Charles Leclerc
Charles Leclerc is another driver worth keeping an eye on. He finished second to Verstappen in Singapore and will be hoping Ferrari can carry that pace into Austin. He also has a strong history at COTA, having finished third here last year.
Ferrari has had an inconsistent season compared to Mercedes, but Leclerc has regularly shown that he can extract plenty from the car when the conditions suit him.
Predictions
Grand Prix Winner – Max Verstappen
We’re backing Max Verstappen to make it three wins in a row. After finally getting his first victory of the season in Malaysia, Verstappen followed it up with another dominant performance in Singapore. That kind of momentum is difficult to ignore.
He also won at COTA last year and has plenty of experience around a circuit that rewards aggressive driving, strong braking and confidence through the high-speed sections. Antonelli is obviously the main threat, especially with the championship potentially being decided, but Verstappen looks like the driver with the strongest momentum coming into the weekend.
Best Bet – Podium Finish (Kimi Antonelli)
Even if Antonelli doesn’t win the race, a podium finish looks like a strong option. He has finished on the podium in 14 of the 17 Grands Prix this season and has only failed to score points once.
Mercedes has also been the dominant team for much of the season, and Antonelli doesn’t need to take unnecessary risks. His priority is the championship, and a podium would be another major step towards securing it.
If Verstappen is too strong at the front, Antonelli can still have a very successful weekend by finishing second or third.
Wild Card Prediction – Charles Leclerc Podium
Our wildcard pick, that’s maybe not so wild, is Charles Leclerc to finish on the podium.
Leclerc comes into Austin after a strong second-place finish in Singapore and has already shown that Ferrari can challenge Red Bull at the front. The Ferrari may not be the fastest car on the grid, but COTA rewards a well-rounded package, and Leclerc has the pace to take advantage if Mercedes or Red Bull struggle with tyre wear.
A podium would certainly not be a surprise.
Bet on the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix with playTSOGO
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