Welcome to our United States GP Race Live Blog!
Ferrari has looked strong at COTA so far, with Leclerc topping both Friday sessions before Hamilton went fastest in FP3. However, Ferrari didn’t have the pace to challenge Antonelli for pole, with Leclerc managing fourth and Hamilton fifth. Verstappen starts alongside him on the front row, with Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar completing the top three.
There is plenty at stake as Mercedes and Ferrari prepare for lights out. Antonelli arrived in Austin with the chance to become F1’s youngest-ever World Champion this weekend. To do so, he needs to win today’s race, with George Russell finishing ninth or lower and Lewis Hamilton fifth or lower. Russell lines up sixth, while Hamilton lines up fifth on the grid.
Meanwhile, McLaren has had a difficult weekend. Piastri and Norris line up seventh and eighth after Norris had his final qualifying lap deleted for exceeding track limits.
There are also grid penalties to shake things up further down the field. Arvid Lindblad drops five places to 14th, while Franco Colapinto takes a 10-place hit and starts 21st. Gabriel Bortoleto faces the biggest setback, with power unit penalties leaving the Audi driver at the back of the grid in 22nd. With plenty of ground to make up, all three will have a fight on their hands to move through the field.
Can Antonelli convert pole into victory, will Verstappen make it three consecutive Grand Prix wins, or can Ferrari fight back in Austin?
Join us for live coverage of the 2026 United States GP as the lights go out at COTA!
Formula 1 MSC Cruises United States Grand Prix 2026 Sunday Race
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That’s a wrap on the F1 action in Austin
Thank you so much for joining us for our United Grand Prix GP live blog. We’ll bring any post-session news on our socials, so don’t forget to head on over and give us a like!
We’ll be back next weekend as F1 heads to Mexico to race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
