Welcome to our United States GP Qualifying Live Blog!
Ferrari have been setting the pace in Austin, but can they turn their practice form into pole position? Charles Leclerc topped both Friday sessions. Leclerc edged out Kimi Antonelli by just 0.042s in FP2. Yet on Saturday, Lewis Hamilton went fastest in the final hour of practice in Austin. Max was right in the mix in all three practice sessions, looking to carry Red Bull’s recent winning momentum into qualifying.
After a couple of unlucky weekends, Mercedes have shown encouraging pace around COTA this weekend. Both drivers have been in the top 5 in every practice session. And with Antonelli arriving in Austin with the potential to secure the title on Sunday, it is a crucial weekend for the Silver Arrows. Meanwhile, McLaren have had a more difficult weekend so far. Both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have been struggling to put together clean laps.
Track limits have already caused plenty of frustration around the Circuit of The Americas, with 128 laps deleted in FP2 alone. While the bumpy surface makes it difficult to find the balance through COTA’s fast corners, track limits can decide qualifying. And with Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes all showing competitive pace, the fight for pole is far from settled.
Can Leclerc or Hamilton put Ferrari on top, will Verstappen strike again, or can Mercedes spring a surprise in Austin?
Join us for live coverage of the 2026 United States GP Qualifying!
Formula 1 MSC Cruises United States Grand Prix 2026 Qualifying
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