October 25, 2026
Sun, Oct 25 · 3:00 PM CDT
2026 Formula 1 · Round 18
United States Grand Prix 2026 Schedule, Times & Results
The United States Grand Prix runs October 23-25 at Circuit of the Americas, with three practice sessions, qualifying and a 56-lap Sunday race. COTA's steep Turn 1, high-speed Esses and back-straight braking battle make it a full-car test rather than a one-feature circuit.
Round 18
Oct 23–Oct 25, 2026
Upcoming
Standard weekend
Next session
Practice 1Fri, Oct 23 · 17:30 UTC
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Austin
Austin, USA
Standard weekend
Three practice sessions lead into qualifying and the Grand Prix.
Permanent
Local circuit time uses America/Chicago.
Complete weekend timetable
United States Grand Prix 2026 Schedule
Session times are shown in your timezone. Switch to track time if you are at the circuit or following local coverage.
FP1
Practice 1
The opening practice session for first setup runs and an early look at track conditions.
StartFri, Oct 23 · 17:30 UTC
Scheduled finish2026-10-23T18:30:00Z
UpcomingOpen session →
StartFri, Oct 23 · 21:00 UTC
Scheduled finish2026-10-23T22:00:00Z
UpcomingOpen session →
StartSat, Oct 24 · 17:30 UTC
Scheduled finish2026-10-24T18:30:00Z
UpcomingOpen session →
StartSat, Oct 24 · 21:00 UTC
Scheduled finish2026-10-24T22:00:00Z
UpcomingOpen session →
StartSun, Oct 25 · 20:00 UTC
Scheduled finish2026-10-25T22:00:00Z
UpcomingOpen session →
What to Know About the United States Grand Prix 2026
Turn 1 creates the spectacle, but the Esses decide whether the lap stays alive
The uphill approach opens into an unusually wide Turn 1 hairpin, allowing several lines at the start. The lap then drops into a rapid direction-change sequence before the long run from Turn 11 to the heavy braking zone at Turn 12. A slower stadium section and the long Turn 16-18 right-hander complete a lap that asks for both front-end response and rear stability.
- Turn 12 is the cleanest late-braking attack after a slipstream down the back straight.
- The official race distance is 308.405 kilometres: 56 laps of the 5.513-kilometre circuit.
Compare first-sector confidence with back-straight speed before judging the fastest car
Extra downforce helps through Turns 3-6 and the long loaded corners, while lower drag protects a driver from attack into Turn 12. Teams must choose where to spend lap time, then manage tyres across a surface that loads them in several different ways. Wind over the exposed hill can also change the braking reference at Turn 1 from one lap to the next.
- A strong qualifying sector one does not guarantee that the car can pass or defend on Sunday.
- Track-limit lap deletions are most important to follow during qualifying, when one lost lap can change the grid.
Choose the shuttle or parking product first, then build the rest of the weekend
COTA is southeast of central Austin and the venue is large enough that transport and walking time shape the day. Official 2026 shuttles run round trips from Downtown Austin and the Travis County Expo Center. The event also adds Grand PrixView Thursday, including F1 ACADEMY track action, a pit-lane walk, fan villages and early merchandise access.
- Turn 1 is a rewarding view but requires a steep climb; allow more walking time than the map suggests.
- Keep the official COTA event page bookmarked for shuttle, parking, bag-policy and weather updates.
Watch and save the United States Grand Prix schedule
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Official event name: FORMULA 1 MSC CRUISES UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX 2026
Plan with confidence
Official United States Grand Prix 2026 Information
Race times and results on this page are paired with official championship and event-organiser information. Always recheck the organiser before travelling because gates, transport and event activities can change.
Quick answers
United States Grand Prix 2026 FAQ
Is the 2026 United States Grand Prix a Sprint weekend?
No. Austin uses the standard format in 2026: FP1 and FP2 on Friday, FP3 and qualifying on Saturday, then the Grand Prix on Sunday, October 25.
What time does the 2026 US Grand Prix start in Austin?
The race starts at 3:00 PM local time on Sunday, October 25. The page converts that time for US and international viewers.
When is the United States Grand Prix 2026?
The race weekend runs Oct 23–Oct 25, 2026. The Grand Prix is scheduled for Sun, Oct 25 · 3:00 PM CDT.
What time does the United States Grand Prix start?
The race starts at Sun, Oct 25 · 3:00 PM CDT. Use the timezone controls above for US Eastern, Central, Pacific, UK or track time.
Is the United States Grand Prix a Sprint weekend?
No. It follows the standard FP1, FP2, FP3, qualifying and race format.
Where can I find the United States Grand Prix results?
Result links will appear beside each session after its classification is available.