US Qualifying: Antonelli 1st, Verstappen P2, Leclerc/Hamilton/Ferrari underwhelming

A superb performance from championship leader Kimi Antonelli in an entertaining qualifying session for the traditional US Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), just outside Austin. The 20-year-old Italian secured his seventh Formula 1 pole position in Texas (equalling Jacques Laffite’s tally), his seventh of the season (following China, Japan, Miami, Monaco, Great Britain and Belgium) and his first on this circuit, which is extremely popular amongst the drivers.

For Kimi’s Mercedes team, this is the 155th pole position in the premier class, the twelfth this season and the seventh for the United States Grand Prix – the first at COTA since Valtteri Bottas in 2019.

The first qualifying segment at COTA began with an air temperature of 30 degrees and a track temperature of 42 degrees, with fewer clouds than in the third practice session and gusty winds.

After 249 laps had been disallowed for breaching track limits, one thing was inevitable: one or two drivers would fall into the same trap in qualifying too.

The FIA issued a warning: the track was slippery leading up to Turn 1. The reason – in the North American Porsche Cup, there had been a collision involving four 911s, leaving a lot of carbon fibre debris and coolant on the track, as well as cement dust that had been spread as a binding agent.

Topic of the week

Topic of the week: MotoGP’s new schedule proved highly controversial

In 2027, MotoGP will also enter the 850cc era with a new schedule. It was not so much the changes themselves as the way the decisions were reached that caused a stir. A prime example of: ‘Talking helps’.

Read More

TV Program

Tomorrow

Austin: Das Rennen

FIA Formula One World Championship

25.10.2026 - 19:30

In the first qualifying segment, Charles Leclerc (fastest in the first two practice sessions) set the initial benchmark, clearly taking a cautious approach to the track limits. Lewis Hamilton in the second Ferrari slotted into P2, 155 thousandths behind the Monegasque driver.

Many in the paddock believed Max Verstappen was capable of securing his third consecutive pole position following Bahrain and Singapore (his fourth F1 pole, if we also count the Singapore Sprint), and Max promptly moved into second place, just 15 thousandths behind leader Leclerc.

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli was only in P7 at this stage (behind Audi driver Nico Hülkenberg), though the 20-year-old Italian was on medium-compound Pirelli tyres. Later, the driver from Bologna put in a better attempt, still on medium-hard tyres, to move up to P5, now behind Leclerc, Verstappen, Hadjar and Hamilton.

Alpine driver Pierre Gasly was the first driver to lose his fast lap, leaving him last with no time recorded with three minutes to go. Shortly afterwards, the Frenchman managed to salvage 14th place.

Mercedes driver George Russell complained that his seat was getting too hot and decided not to attempt a final lap.

Top ten after Q1: Norris, setting the fastest time at the very end, seemingly out of nowhere (and the only driver from the top four teams still on track), ahead of Leclerc, Verstappen, Hadjar, Hamilton, Antonelli, Bortoleto, Lawson, Hülkenberg and Russell.

Eliminated after Q1: Ocon in P17, followed by Stroll, Saionz, Albon, Pérez and Bottas.

At the start of Q2, Hamilton was ahead of Leclerc, but was immediately beaten by Verstappen, who was more than three-tenths of a second ahead of the two Ferraris!

Then Hadjar squeezed in between Hamilton and Leclerc, before Norris moved up to P2. Where were the Mercedes? First Russell up to P3, then Antonelli in P3. That left the Ferraris down to P5 (Hamilton) and P7 (Leclerc). Where had the Italians’ previously marvellous pace gone? Perhaps one explanation – Lewis and Charles were on used tyres. However, so was the leader, Verstappen!

Nico Hülkenberg remained in good form for Audi in P8, whilst his team-mate Bortoleto lost his lap and had to put everything on the line for his second attempt, just as Pierre Gasly had done for Alpine in Q1.

Towards the end of Q2, Russell set a new fastest time, then championship leader Antonelli took the top spot – for a few seconds – before Leclerc moved into first place. Max Verstappen watched it all unfold from the pits, deciding against a final attempt.

Ferrari superstar Lewis Hamilton messed up the middle sector and remained in P7.

It was an early end to the session for Gasly, Hülkenberg, Bearman, Bortoleto, Colapinto and Alonso. Bearman’s fastest lap was then disallowed, meaning the English Haas driver dropped back to P16.

The top ten, and therefore through to Q3: Leclerc, Antonelli, Russell, Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Hamilton, Hadjar, Lindblad and Lawson.

In Q3, Lawson pulled out straight away: Lindblad ahead of him will be penalised for the race anyway (fitting of fresh engine components), and the top four teams are out of Liam’s reach, so he’d rather save his tyres to be more strategically flexible in the Grand Prix.

Russell set the first fastest time, but was then clearly beaten by Antonelli; Verstappen was in P2, Leclerc only fourth behind Hadjar, and Hamilton only sixth behind Russell. Long faces amongst the Tifosi.

Max ranted over the radio: “It’s very tricky with limited grip, really difficult with the car.” Perhaps the Dutchman had pushed the tyres too hard in the first sector (where he set the fastest time), and by the final sector the tyres were already at the end of their life.

Towards the end of qualifying, Verstappen made a mistake in the second section of the track, as did Antonelli, so nothing changed at the front – pole for Kimi Antonelli, ahead of Verstappen, Hadjar, Leclerc, Hamilton, Russell, Piastri, Norris (lap disallowed) and Lindblad.