Last updated: 25 October 2026, 9.10am GMT.
United States GP pole went to Kimi Antonelli at Austin on Saturday 24 October 2026, after the Mercedes driver set a 1m 34.035s lap. Max Verstappen qualified second, giving Sunday’s race a different starting picture from Ferrari’s strong practice sessions.
At a glance
- Antonelli took his seventh pole of the season.
- Verstappen was second, with Isack Hadjar third.
- Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton qualified fourth and fifth.
- George Russell qualified sixth; the race is on Sunday 25 October.
United States GP pole: what changed
Formula 1’s official report says Antonelli secured provisional pole with his first Q3 attempt. He did not complete a second effort after a small error, but Verstappen did not improve either. Russell finished more than four-tenths behind his team-mate.
Reuters’ qualifying report confirms the leading positions and a 0.179-second gap between Antonelli and Verstappen. Our earlier qualifying preview covered Leclerc’s Friday pace. Saturday’s timed session is the significant new development.
Why qualifying is only part of the answer
A single fast lap establishes position for the start; it does not measure every part of a race. F1’s report records Toto Wolff’s caution that Mercedes might not match Ferrari and Verstappen over a race distance. That is the team principal’s assessment, not a result already established on track.
Brighton Locals’ view
Antonelli converted the decisive session into a genuine advantage. The useful distinction for viewers is between that confirmed advantage and predictions about the finish. Friday’s practice leader was not guaranteed pole, and Saturday’s pole-sitter is not guaranteed victory.
What to watch next
Check the official race schedule and final starting grid before watching on Sunday, including any penalties. Britain is now on GMT after the clock change; do not reuse a reminder that assumes yesterday’s BST offset.
Qualifying has settled the contest for pole. The race still has to settle who uses that position best.
Archive: Circuit of the Americas main straight, Austin, 3 November 2012. Steve / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Resized; not the 2026 session.
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