2026 United States Grand Prix: Antonelli Wins in Austin as the Title Decider Moves to Mexico
Kimi Antonelli led from pole to win the 2026 United States Grand Prix, beating Leclerc and Verstappen with a one-stop strategy. The title decider now moves to Mexico City.
CN Quick Facts
- Event: 2026 United States Grand Prix, Round 18 of the Formula 1 (F1) World Championship
- Venue: Circuit of the Americas (COTA), Austin, Texas (56 laps)
- Race Date: 25 October 2026
- Winner: Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes (1:35:16.650), from pole position
- Podium: Charles Leclerc (Ferrari, +13.078s), Max Verstappen (Red Bull, +17.485s)
- Points after Austin: Antonelli 365, George Russell 242, Lewis Hamilton 241
- Next Race: Mexico City Grand Prix, 30 October to 1 November 2026
What's in this Article
Who won the 2026 United States Grand Prix?
Italian driver Kimi Antonelli won the 2026 United States Grand Prix for Mercedes, leading from pole position to claim his ninth victory of the season. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished second after a late pass, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen third. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) was fourth and Lando Norris (McLaren) fifth.
Antonelli, 20, arrived in Austin with a chance of sealing his first world championship. That needed three things at once: a win, Russell finishing ninth or lower, and Hamilton finishing outside the top four. Hamilton took fourth and Russell finished eighth, so the title stays open for at least one more weekend.
Key Details: What were the full results?
| Pos. | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes |
| 2 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari |
| 5 | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 6 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull |
| 7 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren |
| 8 | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 9 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls |
| 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine |
Three drivers did not finish (DNF): Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac), Franco Colapinto (Alpine) and Oliver Bearman (Haas). Haas also missed the points at its home race, and Williams extended its scoreless run to three events.
How Did the 2026 United States Grand Prix Unfold?
Antonelli launched cleanly from pole and kept the lead, while Verstappen’s poor getaway dropped him into the path of both Ferraris. Leclerc briefly took second, but Verstappen reclaimed it before the end of the opening lap. A short Virtual Safety Car (VSC) period to clear debris followed, and by lap five Antonelli was already about two seconds clear.
The pit stops reshuffled the order. Verstappen pitted early for softs and began closing the gap, while Mercedes left Antonelli out on his medium tyres. Antonelli stopped once, on lap 24, and retook the lead on lap 32 when Verstappen made his second stop. From there Red Bull’s challenge faded: both cars reported problems, and Verstappen described his as undriveable because of an engine-braking issue.
The fight behind was the late drama. Verstappen passed Norris on lap 47, and Leclerc then picked off both the McLaren and the Red Bull to take second. A second VSC for Bottas’s stopped Cadillac took the sting out of the finish, but Antonelli’s margin was never under threat.
Russell’s afternoon was hampered by a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage after contact with Piastri’s McLaren on the opening lap. He served it at his pit stop and recovered only to eighth.
Afterwards, Antonelli said it was “the result we needed” and praised the team’s execution of the one-stop call.
Background: How did Antonelli get here?
Antonelli made his F1 debut in 2025 and took his first win at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix. He became the youngest-ever polesitter in China and the youngest championship leader in Japan, and his wins this year include his home race in Italy. Austin was his ninth victory of 2026, secured after a pole lap that Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff greeted with delighted disbelief.
A title this year would make him F1’s youngest world champion.
CN Expert Analysis: Why did the one-stop strategy work?
The race turned on tyres. Mercedes and McLaren started on mediums while most of the top ten, including both Red Bulls, chose softs. Most rivals planned two stops. Antonelli ran a long first stint, switched to hards and managed them to the flag.
That gave Mercedes two advantages. First, track position: he never needed a second stop that might have dropped him into traffic. Second, the two-stoppers had to carry their own problems. Red Bull’s throttle-mapping and engine-braking issues, and Norris’s ageing tyres at McLaren, removed the rivals most likely to force Mercedes into a reaction.
Our view: this was a strategy win as much as a pace win, but it also depended on a clean first lap and a rival field that struggled. Mexico City’s high altitude will test the cars differently, so Austin should not be read as a guaranteed template.
What Does the Result Mean for the Championship?
Antonelli now leads with 365 points, 123 ahead of teammate George Russell (242) and 124 clear of Hamilton (241), who sits third. Verstappen is fourth on 236 and Leclerc fifth on 232. In the constructors’ standings Mercedes leads Ferrari 605 to 474, with McLaren and Red Bull level on 355.
The title is not mathematically settled. Sky Sports reports that a ninth-place finish or better in Mexico City would be enough for Antonelli to secure it.
What’s Next After Austin?
The paddock moves straight on to the Mexico City Grand Prix at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, 30 October to 1 November 2026. Brazil (8 November) and Las Vegas (22 November) follow. For CarNews KE readers, the Mexico weekend is the next realistic chance to see the 2026 drivers’ champion crowned.
Conclusion
The 2026 United States Grand Prix delivered a dominant winner, a late fight for the podium and an unresolved championship. Antonelli, Mercedes and a bold one-stop call did the heavy lifting, while Leclerc and Verstappen shared the rest of the podium. With a 123-point lead and the title possibly decided in Mexico City, Antonelli’s first crown looks close.
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