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Upcoming race · 2026 · Round 18 · USA

Scheduled

United States Grand Prix

Austin’s 5.513 km lap combines 20 corners with fast changes of direction. The 2026 tyre selection is C2 Hard, C3 Medium and C4 Soft.

3d 22h 31mUntil the scheduled race · at page load

Race start
Austin · America/Chicago

Max Verstappen leads the pre weekend projected order.

Read the weekend brief ↗Pick your winner ↗

The circuit

Circuit of the Americas ↗

Approximate community-mapped circuit outline. OpenStreetMap source.

Highlights show turn groups, not official timing sectors.

© OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL 1.0.

Map data: OSM XML · GeoJSON · source details.

Lap length
5.513 km
Corners
20
Direction
Anticlockwise

Session

Practice 1


Scheduled

Session

Practice 2


Scheduled

Session

Practice 3


Scheduled

Session

Qualifying


Scheduled

Grand Prix

Race


Scheduled
Schedule checked ·

Sources

Source notes

Before lights out

The weekend in a minute

Recent form

The leading model picks

Grand Prix finishes in the last 3 completed 2026 races, newest first.

Singapore · Bahrain in Malaysia · Azerbaijan

The weekend

A full practice programme

Watch practice for sustained pace, then qualifying for single-lap speed. The race grid can still change after penalties.

Next: practice 1

What to watch in the strategy ↗
Last time outSingapore Grand Prix: read the debrief ↗

The pit-wall decisions

Three strategy questions

What to look for when the race changes.

Pit strategy explained ↗
01

Can the softer Hard make a longer stint worthwhile?

C2HardC3MediumC4Soft

Pirelli has moved Austin’s Hard from C1 to C2. Last year teams preferred the Medium and Soft; Friday’s longer runs will help show whether this year’s Hard offers a useful alternative.

What would change the plan?

If lap times deteriorate enough, fresh tyres may repay the time lost in another stop. Longer runs help, but fuel load and traffic can disguise the true pace.

Read the tyre guide ↗
02

Can fresh tyres beat track position?

The undercut means stopping first to gain time on fresh tyres. Staying out can work if the car still has pace, or if the rival rejoins in traffic.

What should I watch?

Follow the gap across the whole stop sequence: the in-lap, pit lane, tyre warm-up and out-lap. A fast wheel change alone does not decide who comes out ahead.

Undercut and overcut ↗
03

Who gains from an interruption?

A Safety Car or Virtual Safety Car can reduce the time a stop costs relative to cars on track. That may help someone still due to stop and hurt someone who just paid the full cost.

What could overturn that advantage?

Rejoin traffic, available tyres and pit-lane access still matter. Rain can change the tyre choice altogether. These are decisions to follow, not a prediction of an interruption.

Read Ruth Buscombe’s strategy analysis ↗

F1Fix viewing guide · tyre nomination published 2026-10-09.

Sources

Source notes

Race forecast

Who is expected to finish ahead?

The projected order and your pick for the win.

Vote for your winner ↗

Model forecast · Pre Weekend

Projected finishing order

All 22 drivers, ordered by expected finish. Win and podium chances are estimates.

Pre Weekend projected finishing order for United States Grand Prix
RankDriverExpected finishWinPodium
01Max VerstappenRed Bull4.4216.5%44.1%
02George RussellMercedes4.8313.2%38.9%
03Andrea Kimi AntonelliMercedes4.8812.6%38.0%
04Charles LeclercFerrari5.0912.6%35.4%
05Lando NorrisMcLaren5.3810.5%32.1%
06Lewis HamiltonFerrari5.5910.0%29.6%
07Oscar PiastriMcLaren6.267.6%25.4%
08Isack HadjarRed Bull7.854.6%16.5%
09Liam LawsonRB F1 Team10.322.4%7.8%
10Arvid LindbladRB F1 Team11.141.8%6.0%
11Pierre GaslyAlpine F1 Team11.262.0%5.8%
12Nico HülkenbergAudi13.250.9%3.7%
13Franco ColapintoAlpine F1 Team13.261.1%3.2%
14Oliver BearmanHaas F1 Team14.120.7%2.6%
15Gabriel BortoletoAudi14.161.0%3.2%
16Carlos SainzWilliams14.950.7%2.0%
17Esteban OconHaas F1 Team15.190.6%2.0%
18Alexander AlbonWilliams17.100.2%1.0%
19Fernando AlonsoAston Martin17.410.3%1.1%
20Lance StrollAston Martin18.450.3%0.7%
21Sergio PérezCadillac F1 Team18.550.2%0.7%
22Valtteri BottasCadillac F1 Team19.540.2%0.3%

Expected finish is the average modeled position.

Based on the provisional race field.

Position ranges & forecast history ↗
Forecast performance ↗

Fan picks

Who will win?

1 pick · Pre Weekend

Max Verstappen1 pick
100.0%
George Russell0 picks
0.0%
Andrea Kimi Antonelli0 picks
0.0%
Charles Leclerc0 picks
0.0%
Lando Norris0 picks
0.0%
Lewis Hamilton0 picks
0.0%
Oscar Piastri0 picks
0.0%
Isack Hadjar0 picks
0.0%
Liam Lawson0 picks
0.0%
Arvid Lindblad0 picks
0.0%
Pierre Gasly0 picks
0.0%
Nico Hülkenberg0 picks
0.0%
Franco Colapinto0 picks
0.0%
Oliver Bearman0 picks
0.0%
Gabriel Bortoleto0 picks
0.0%
Carlos Sainz0 picks
0.0%
Esteban Ocon0 picks
0.0%
Alexander Albon0 picks
0.0%
Fernando Alonso0 picks
0.0%
Lance Stroll0 picks
0.0%
Sergio Pérez0 picks
0.0%
Valtteri Bottas0 picks
0.0%
Pick your winner ↗

Voting closes

Circuit history

From the race archive

Earlier Grand Prix results at this venue, with sample dates shown below.

Most wins in this sample

The largest win total in this 3-race sample is 2/3, held by Max Verstappen. This counts only the stored races in the sample.

Circuit results ↗

F1Fix calculation from stored Jolpica classifications
Retrieved

Where the winners started

Of 3 winners with a positive recorded grid position, 1 started from pole and 1 started in the first three positions. A positive grid position is stored for 3/3 winners.

Circuit results ↗

F1Fix calculation from stored Jolpica classifications
Retrieved

Different winners

2 different drivers won the 3 stored Grand Prix races at Circuit of the Americas with race-start dates 2023-10-22 to 2025-10-19 UTC. Sprint races are excluded.

Circuit results ↗

F1Fix calculation from stored Jolpica classifications
Retrieved

Circuit history

Recent winners & podiums

3 Grands Prix · –. Sprints excluded.

Different winners
2Across 3 Grands Prix
Winners from pole
1 / 3With a recorded grid position
Winners starting in the top 3
1 / 3With a recorded grid position
Furthest-back winning start
P6In this sample
Recent Grand Prix winners, winning constructor, starting grid and podium
RaceWinnerWinning teamWinner’s grid2nd3rd
2025 ↗Max VerstappenRed BullP1Lando NorrisMcLarenCharles LeclercFerrari
2024 ↗Charles LeclercFerrariP4Carlos SainzFerrariMax VerstappenRed Bull
2023 ↗Max VerstappenRed BullP6Lando NorrisMcLarenCarlos SainzFerrari

Max Verstappen: 2/3 · Charles Leclerc: 1/3 wins in this sample of up to five Grands Prix.

Sources

Source notes

Who has been winning recently?

4 different winners in the last 6 completed Grands Prix before this event: –. Sprints excluded.

Races & sources in this sample

This weekend

Event notes

Strategy Confirmed Fact

Pirelli nominated C2 Hard, C3 Medium and C4 Soft for the 2026 United States Grand Prix.

Pirelli / F1Fix editorial ↗

Checked

Forecast history

Previous published versions

Across the season

2026 race archive.

Round 1Australian Grand PrixRound 2Chinese Grand PrixRound 3Japanese Grand PrixRound 4Miami Grand PrixRound 5Canadian Grand PrixRound 6Monaco Grand PrixRound 7Barcelona Grand PrixRound 8Austrian Grand PrixRound 9British Grand PrixRound 10Belgian Grand PrixRound 11Hungarian Grand PrixRound 12Dutch Grand PrixRound 13Italian Grand PrixRound 14Spanish Grand PrixRound 15Azerbaijan Grand PrixRound 16Bahrain Grand Prix in MalaysiaRound 17Singapore Grand PrixRound 18United States Grand PrixRound 19Mexico City Grand PrixRound 20Brazilian Grand PrixRound 21Las Vegas Grand PrixRound 22Qatar Grand PrixRound 23Abu Dhabi Grand Prix