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Andrea Kimi Antonelli can win the 2026 F1 title at the United States Grand Prix this week, so here is everything you need to know including the COTA weather forecast.
The Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas has held the United States GP each year since F1 revived the race back in 2012. Formula 1 has also crowned the drivers’ champion at COTA twice to date, as Lewis Hamilton won the 2015 and also 2019 titles for Mercedes in America.
Antonelli could now follow in his Mercedes predecessor Hamilton’s footsteps by winning the 2026 title at the United States GP. Also, as well as it marking Antonelli’s first title, it would be the Silver Arrows’ first title since Hamilton won his record-equalling seventh F1 title in 2020.
History would also follow Antonelli if he wins the 2026 F1 title at the United States GP, as he will be the youngest-ever champion at 20 years, two months and one day old on the day of the race. Sebastian Vettel is currently F1’s youngest-ever champion, as the German won his first of four titles in 2010 while racing for Red Bull at 23 years, four months and 11 days old.
Mercedes gem Antonelli will need a lot to play in his favour to win the 2026 F1 drivers’ title at the United States GP in round 18/23, however. Also, Ferrari are taking floor, sidepod and radiator intake updates to COTA, as they strive to respond to Red Bull rival Max Verstappen winning the Bahrain GP in Malaysia and the Singapore GP from pole in the past two rounds.
So, with that in mind, F1 Oversteer takes a look at everything that you need to know ahead of the 2026 United States GP, from how Antonelli can win the title at COTA and the weather forecast for Austin, Texas at the start of the second of three triple headers to end the year…
Formula 1 has scheduled the 2026 edition of the United States Grand Prix as round 18 out of 23, marking the start of the second of three triple headers to finish the season. F1 will fly to Mexico for the Mexico City GP and Brazil for the Sao Paulo GP after Sunday’s race at COTA.
The United States GP weekend will take place from October 23-25, with Sunday’s Grand Prix due to run for 56 laps around the Circuit of the Americas. But unlike for the past three years, Formula 1 has not also scheduled an F1 Sprint to take place at the United States GP in 2026.
| DATE | LOCAL TIME | UK TIME | SESSION |
| October 23 | 12:30 – 13:30 | 18:30 – 19:30 | FP1 |
| October 23 | 16:00 – 17:00 | 22:00 – 23:00 | FP2 |
| October 24 | 12:30 – 13:30 | 18:30 – 19:30 | FP3 |
| October 24 | 16:00 – 17:00 | 22:00 – 23:00 | Qualifying |
| October 25 | 15:00 – Finish | 20:00 – Finish | United States GP |
Sky Sports will broadcast exclusive live TV coverage of the 2026 F1 United States Grand Prix in the UK via its subscription-based offerings. BBC Sport will also provide its exclusive radio coverage of the action from COTA, while Channel 4 will broadcast highlight-based coverage of qualifying and the United States GP within a few hours of Sky Sports’ coverage finishing.
| DATE | UK TIME | CHANNEL | SESSION |
| October 23 | 18:00 – 20:00 | Sky Sports F1 | FP1 |
| October 23 | 18:30 – 19:30 | BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra | FP1 |
| October 23 | 21:30 – 23:45 | Sky Sports F1 | FP2 |
| October 23 | 22:00 – 23:00 | BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra | FP2 |
| October 24 | 18:15 – 19:45 | Sky Sports F1 | FP3 |
| October 24 | 18:30 – 19:30 | BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra | FP3 |
| October 24 | 20:30 – 23:55 | Sky Sports F1 | Qualifying |
| October 24 | 22:00 – 23:00 | BBC Sports Extra | Qualifying |
| October 25 | 09:00 – 10:00 | Channel 4 | Qualifying |
| October 25 | 18:30 – 23:00 | Sky Sports F1 | United States GP |
| October 25 | 19:30 – Finish | BBC Radio 5 Live | United States GP |
| October 26 | 00:15 – 01:35 | Channel 4 | United States GP |
| October 26 | 09:40 – 11:10 | Channel 4 | United States GP |
The 2026 United States Grand Prix will be Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s first chance to win the F1 title, but the Italian will need a lot to go in his favour to be crowned the champion at COTA.
Mercedes teammate George Russell, Ferrari racers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, Red Bull rival Max Verstappen and McLaren’s reigning champion Norris all mathematically have the chance to force Antonelli to wait until the Mexico City Grand Prix to win his first F1 title.
F1 Oversteer has worked out the F1 title permutations for Antonelli at the United States GP, and Russell has the easiest task of denying his teammate the crown. Put simply, if Russell is in the top eight at the chequered flag, even winning the United States GP will not be enough for Antonelli to seal the title with five rounds to spare – but his task will be easier in Mexico.
Sunny skies will greet Formula 1 in Austin, Texas for the 2026 United States GP, but it might not be an especially hot affair at the Circuit of the Americas this weekend after the FIA had declared the recent Grands Prix at Monza, Sepang and Marina Bay as F1 heat-hazard races.
Practice on Friday could see the hottest of the conditions at the 2026 United States GP, with the pre-race forecast showing highs of 24-25°C for FP1 and 26°C for FP2. Additionally, high winds will affect both of the practice sessions this Friday, with speeds of 16-17mph forecast.
A lot of wind is also forecast for Saturday, with FP3 likely to see wind speeds reach 18mph and continue to rise toward 19mph for qualifying. The final practice session at the United States GP is also forecast to see temperatures of around 24°C rising to 27°C for qualifying.
Clouds are then forecast to roll into Austin, Texas on Sunday as the United States GP starts, but the conditions at COTA could hit 26-27°C during the race, despite 17mph gusts of wind.
The Circuit of the Americas has held each edition of the United States Grand Prix since 2012 when Formula 1 revived the race after a sizable hiatus from 2008 until 2011. F1 did not race in America for four years after the fallout from the Michelin tyre problems that plagued the 2005 United States GP at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway damaged F1’s image in the USA.
It was only once construction of the purpose-built Circuit of the Americas was completed in 2012 that Formula 1 returned to the USA, and found its home. F1 has since rebuilt its image in America to the point that the series also stages Grands Prix in Miami and Las Vegas today.
Formula 1 found its home in America at COTA as the circuit is perfect for F1 races, with the first sector inspired by Silverstone’s Maggotts-Becketts and Suzuka’s Esses a real challenge for man and machine. COTA’s second sector is then the major overtaking point on the 1km (0.6mi) back straight to Turn 12, and duels can continue through the remainder of the lap.
Red Bull racer Max Verstappen has loved his trips to the Circuit of the Americas since 2021, having won four of the past five editions of the United States Grand Prix. Only Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc in 2024 has denied Verstappen the win at the United States GP since 2021.
Verstappen even did the double at the 2025 United States GP in the final year of F1’s latest ground-effect era. He won the Sprint by 0.395s over Mercedes star George Russell before denying McLaren’s Lando Norris by 7.959s in the Grand Prix, with Leclerc 15.373s shy in P3.
Mercedes gem Andrea Kimi Antonelli set the fastest lap of the race during the 2025 edition of the United States GP with a time of 1:37.577 on Lap 33 of 56. But Antonelli only finished the race in P13 from P7 on the grid after contact with Williams driver Carlos Sainz on Lap 7.
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