AUSTIN, TEXAS.
Method 1 heads to Austin for spherical 19 of the season — the USA Grand Prix — the place issues have gotten tense within the drivers’ championship with six races to go.
Circuit of the Americas isn’t solely one of many most-loved tracks on the F1 calendar, it’s one of many greatest occasions of the yr with a carnival ambiance, concert events, BBQs and over 400,000 followers, so anticipate loads of motion and drama over the weekend…
Climate forecast – HOT and dry
The weekend is ready to be sizzling and sunny with temperatures above 30°C (86°F). Saturday is predicted to peak at 34°C, giving the drivers one other warmth check after Singapore, albeit with much less humidity.
Leap to: Circuit historical past & stats | Race predictions | The way to watch | Championship standings
PAPAYA RULES: McLaren boss Zak Brown has mentioned the looming menace of Max Verstappen will preserve racing guidelines in pressure regardless of the workforce wrapping up the constructors’ title in Singapore.
TITLE FAVOURITE?: What units Oscar Piastri aside from the opposite drivers — emotional intelligence, maybe? If the strain of this yr’s title battle is attending to the Austrialian driver, he isn’t displaying it in his interactions with the media.
MERCEDES RENEWAL: George Russell’s lengthy look forward to a 2026 contract has come to an finish after Mercedes confirmed he’ll proceed on the workforce subsequent yr alongside teammate Kimi Antonelli.
FAITH IN FERRARI: Lewis Hamilton has reaffirmed his perception Ferrari might be title contenders throughout his time with them, saying the media solely focuses on the negatives of the workforce’s 2025 season.
UNLAPPED: For extra evaluation hearken to the newest episode of ESPN’s F1 podcast Unlapped with F1 writers Nate Saunders and Laurence Edmondson.
America’s historical past with F1 dates again to the game’s origin in 1950 when Indianapolis hosted the occasion between 1950-1960. In 1959, Sebring hosted the primary United States Grand Prix, and since then the race has been held at 5 different circuits.
Circuit of the Americas (COTA) took over as host in 2012 when the monitor was opened by Mario Andretti, following 4 years of F1 absence within the U.S..
Throughout F1’s recognition within the eighties within the period of Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and Niki Lauda, the U.S. hosted further grands prix together with Lengthy Seaside from 1976 till the early-eighties, in addition to Dallas, Las Vegas and Detroit across the identical interval.
Now the U.S. has Miami, Austin and Las Vegas on the calendar.
COTA is a diversified circuit with straights, esses by to sector two, and a collection of hair-pins in sector three. The high-speed corners takes some inspiration from Silverstone and Hockenheim.
Circuit: Circuit of the Americas; Austin, Texas
First F1 race: 2012
Lap report: 1:36.169, Charles Leclerc (2019)
Laps: 56 laps of 5.5km
Most wins: Lewis Hamilton with six (2007, 2012, (2014-2017)
Different winners from the present grid:
– Verstappen (2021-2023)
– Leclerc (2024)
Most poles: Hamilton (2007, 2016-2018) is tied with Michael Schumacher (2000-2002, 2006) on 4
Different pole sitters from the present grid:
– Verstappen (2021)
– Carlos Sainz (2022)
– Leclerc (2023)
– Lando Norris (2024)
What makes it particular: A contemporary American basic, with a mixture of quick corners, lengthy straights and an iconic climb to Flip 1. The U.S. crowd brings a festival-like ambiance, making it probably the most standard occasions of the yr.
What the drivers say about it: “I feel they’ve nailed the circuit. For a modern-day monitor, for me, it’s positively the perfect there’s. I adore it.” — Daniel Ricciardo
The place to observe from: Flip 1 grandstand. The steepest elevation change on the F1 calendar, watching from the highest of the hill is good, particularly because the pack bundles by at first.
Leclerc gained a memorable U.S. Grand Prix, the place a late time penalty demoted Norris behind title rival Verstappen to fourth.
Norris had caught and handed Verstappen for third after a prolonged battle late within the race, however exceeded the bounds of the monitor whereas doing so and took a five-second penalty. Verstappen completed third behind Sainz.
After dominating the primary half of the season, McLaren hasn’t gained a race for the reason that Dutch Grand Prix on the finish of August.
The newly-crowned constructors’ champions aren’t satisfied COTA will swimsuit its automotive both — saying Brazil, Qatar and Abu Dhabi shall be its finest alternatives to win once more — and are pointing to Verstappen because the favorite.
Given Verstappen’s capacity to maximise race weekends and McLaren’s propensity for end-of-season jitters, we’re going to agree with that evaluation and again Verstappen for the win.
McLaren wrapped up the constructors’ title in Singapore of their first back-to-back win for the reason that early Nineteen Nineties.
The drivers’ championship is but to be determined, and it’s shut on the high with six races to go.
Oscar Piastri leads teammate Norris by 22 factors, however Verstappen is 41 factors behind Norris, and has completed forward of him prior to now 4 races (together with Norris’ DNF at Zandvoort).
View the standings
For followers within the U.S. solely, watch stay on ESPN and ESPN+.
Within the UK stay broadcast protection is on Sky Sports activities F1 and BBC Radio 5 Stay, with highlights on Channel 4.
For information, evaluation and updates, observe the protection with ESPN’s F1 workforce Nate Saunders and Laurence Edmondson in Austin and on social media.
Session instances beneath in BST (British Summer season Time). Native time is (CDT) Central Daylight Time (BST-6 hours).
Friday
Apply: 18:30-19:30 BST
Dash qualifying: 22:30-23:14 BST
Saturday
Dash race: 18:00-18:30 BST
Qualifying: 22:00-23:00 BST
Sunday
Race begins: 20:00 BST (stay textual content commentary build-up from 19:00 BST on ESPN.co.uk/F1).
– Standings | Calendar | Groups
– 2025 F1 circuits: Their historical past, stats and why they’re particular
– Key info on drivers, groups, venues, extra
– Causes to root for every F1 driver, questions for each workforce
– Meet the rookies: What to anticipate from F1’s Class of 2025