Formula 1 is in Austin for the 2026 United States Grand Prix, with qualifying and the race still to come at the Circuit of The Americas.
Saturday features the final practice session before qualifying sets the grid, while Sunday’s Grand Prix starts at 3pm in Austin, 4pm Eastern and 8pm in the UK. US viewers can watch every session live on Apple TV, while Sky Sports F1 has live coverage in the UK, with streaming available through NOW.
United States GP weekend times
| Session | Austin (CT) | US Eastern | US Pacific | UK | US coverage | UK coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FP3 – Sat 24 Oct | 12.30pm | 1.30pm | 10.30am | 6.30pm BST | Apple TV | Sky Sports F1 / NOW |
| Qualifying – Sat 24 Oct | 4pm | 5pm | 2pm | 10pm BST | Apple TV | Sky Sports F1 / NOW |
| Race – Sun 25 Oct | 3pm | 4pm | 1pm | 8pm GMT | Apple TV | Sky Sports F1 / NOW |
There is a time-zone change for UK viewers between qualifying and the race. British clocks go back overnight from Saturday into Sunday, so qualifying takes place at 10pm BST but Sunday’s 8pm race start is in GMT.
Austin does not change its clocks this weekend, leaving the city six hours behind Britain on Saturday but five hours behind on Sunday.
How does the F1 weekend work in Austin?
This is a conventional Grand Prix weekend rather than a Sprint event, giving the teams three practice sessions before qualifying and Sunday’s race. FP3 on Saturday is the final opportunity to work on car set-up before qualifying. The one-hour session starts at 12.30pm in Austin and 6.30pm in the UK.
Qualifying begins at 4pm local time, or 10pm in Britain, and follows the usual three-part Q1, Q2 and Q3 format. Five drivers are eliminated in Q1 and another five in Q2 before the remaining 10 fight for pole position in Q3. Sunday’s United States Grand Prix is run over 56 laps of the 5.513km Circuit of The Americas, covering 308.405km.
For more on the circuit, previous Austin winners and the championship situation, our United States GP race-week guide has the full background.
How to watch the United States GP in the US
Apple TV is the exclusive US home of Formula 1 in 2026, with every practice session, qualifying session and Grand Prix available live and on demand. Coverage of the United States GP includes English and Spanish commentary alongside additional feeds such as onboard cameras, live timing, Driver Tracker and a podium feed. Apple TV’s Multiview feature can also combine up to four live feeds on one screen.
Austin is also the first F1 weekend available through Apple TV with Dolby Atmos alongside Dolby Vision on compatible equipment. Apple has also confirmed a free alternative broadcast for the race itself through Tubi. The Fast Lane is a creator-hosted live altcast rather than the main Apple TV broadcast.
How to watch the United States GP in the UK
Sky Sports F1 will show FP3, qualifying and the Grand Prix live in the UK, with subscribers also able to stream through the Sky Sports app. Viewers without a Sky subscription can watch through NOW, with Day and Month membership options available.
Sky’s Saturday coverage of FP3 begins at 6.15pm ahead of the 6.30pm session, while its qualifying build-up starts at 8.30pm before qualifying at 10pm. On Sunday, Sky’s United States GP build-up begins at 6.30pm, with the race starting at 8pm.
Channel 4 provides free-to-air highlights rather than live coverage in the UK.
What has happened in Austin so far?
Charles Leclerc topped both Friday practice sessions as Ferrari’s latest upgrade made an encouraging start at COTA. Kimi Antonelli moved to within 0.042 seconds of Leclerc in FP2, while Max Verstappen was third and remained within two tenths of the Ferrari. McLaren had a more difficult second session, with Lando Norris seventh and Oscar Piastri eighth.
Our Friday practice analysis looks at the main lessons from the opening day, including Ferrari’s pace, Mercedes’ improvement and why Verstappen remains firmly in contention. Antonelli also has his first opportunity to win the 2026 F1 world championship in Austin. He arrives with a 102-point advantage over Mercedes team-mate George Russell with six Grands Prix remaining.
Keep up with the United States Grand Prix
Follow the latest Formula 1 news, qualifying results and race analysis on Read Motorsport throughout the Austin weekend.
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