2026 F1 United States Grand Prix: Sunday Schedule and Start Time in Austin
- Kimi Antonelli enters the final day of the 2026 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas holding a 102-point lead over his Mercedes...
- The race takes place across 56 laps of the 5.513-kilometre Circuit of The Americas, covering a total distance of 308.405 kilometres.
- Antonelli can secure the world championship on Sunday if a specific combination of results unfolds.
Kimi Antonelli enters the final day of the 2026 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas holding a 102-point lead over his Mercedes teammate George Russell. The Italian driver secured pole position for Sunday’s race, putting him in a mathematical position to claim his first world championship title in Austin, Texas, where he could become the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history. This event also marks the beginning of the final six-race stretch of the championship.
Circuit Specifications and Race Distance
The race takes place across 56 laps of the 5.513-kilometre Circuit of The Americas, covering a total distance of 308.405 kilometres. The venue first joined the championship calendar in 2012. The absolute lap record stands at 1:32.143, set by Max Verstappen for Red Bull in 2025, while the race lap record is 1:36.169, set by Charles Leclerc for Classic Ferrari in 2019.
Championship Standings and Title Scenarios
Antonelli can secure the world championship on Sunday if a specific combination of results unfolds. Lewis Hamilton starts fifth on the grid and must maintain that position until the finish, while George Russell, starting sixth, needs to lose three places during the grand prix. Antonelli arrives in Austin following another podium finish in Singapore.
F1 RETURNS TO AUSTIN! 🇺🇸The United States Grand Prix weekend is here, with Circuit of the Americas hosting another 56-lap showdown.🏁 Friday: FP1 & FP2⏱️ Saturday: FP3 & Qualifying🏆 Sunday: Race at 3 PM ET📏 Circuit length: 5.513 kmThe battle for grid position starts now. pic.twitter.com/oZGMZVbPhb
In the post-Singapore Drivers’ Championship standings, Lewis Hamilton holds third place with 229 points, Max Verstappen sits fourth with 221 points, and Charles Leclerc occupies fifth with 215 points. Further down the standings, Isaac Hadjar holds eighth with 97 points, Liam Lawson sits ninth with 75 points, Arvid Lindblad occupies eleventh with 38 points, Nico Hulkenberg is fourteenth with 13 points, Gabriel Bortoleto sits fifteenth with 10 points, Yuki Tsunoda is twentieth with 1 point, and Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez both have 0 points in twenty-second and twenty-third respectively. Within the Constructors’ Championship standings, Classic Ferrari stands second with 444 points, McLaren holds third with 339 points, and Red Bull follows in fourth with 332 points, followed by RB F1 Team in fifth with 100 points, Alpine in sixth with 68 points, Haas in seventh with 30 points, Audi in eighth with 23 points, and Cadillac F1 Team in eleventh with 0 points.
Red Bull Momentum and Team Developments
Meanwhile, Mercedes is evaluating its latest technical package for the W17 car, alongside Ferrari and McLaren continuing to contest positions behind the championship-leading Mercedes team. Toto Wolff admitted that the upgraded machine proved harder to drive.
Sunday Schedule and Broadcast Times
Across other regions, the race starts at 16:00 for United States Eastern time, 13:00 for United States Pacific time, 16:00 for Toronto in Canada, 01:30 on Monday for India (IST), 07:00 on Monday for Melbourne in Australia, 09:00 on Monday for New Zealand, 04:00 on Monday for Singapore, and 04:00 on Monday for Malaysia. Broadcast arrangements vary by territory, with official championship information directing viewers to local television and streaming providers.