Formula 1 Qualifying in Austin Is Saturday

Final practice and qualifying for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix run on Saturday, 24 October, at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. Qualifying starts at 5:00 p.m. ET and sets the grid for Sunday’s race, which is part of our US Grand Prix 2026 live updates.

Antonelli can wrap up the Drivers’ Championship in Austin, a story we cover in Antonelli Can Clinch F1 Title in Austin.

Saturday Running Order

Final practice is the last chance for teams to tune their cars before the grid is set. It runs from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Austin time, which is 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. on the US East Coast and 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in São Paulo.

Qualifying follows from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. Austin time. That is 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. ET and 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in São Paulo, so the order of the grid is known before the evening.

Friday’s Pace and Race Day Outlook

In Friday’s second practice, Charles Leclerc of Ferrari was fastest in 1:35.291, with Antonelli 0.042 seconds behind and Max Verstappen 0.189 seconds back. The Grand Prix starts at 3:00 p.m. Austin time on Sunday, 25 October, and covers 56 laps of the 5.513-kilometre circuit.

Saturday’s forecast shows 17°C to 29.5°C, track temperatures that may pass 55°C, average winds near 15 km/h and gusts up to 35 km/h. Sunday looks cooler at 19°C to 27°C, with a 20% chance of rain and gusts of 35 to 40 km/h.

What Prediction Markets Say

Polymarket, a crypto-based prediction market, priced Kimi Antonelli at 97.6% to win the 2026 drivers’ title and Max Verstappen at 1.4% as of about 8:55 p.m. ET on 23 October. More than US$204 million has been traded on that market.

These prices are bets, not polls or official forecasts. Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely.

We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.

What It Means for US Readers

For fans in the United States, the weekend can be followed in prime afternoon hours on the East Coast. Antonelli leads George Russell by 102 points and could clinch the title on Sunday, but only if he wins and Russell finishes ninth or lower and Lewis Hamilton fifth or lower, according to GPblog.

Brazilian fans get the same sessions in the afternoon and early evening, and Mexico City is the next stop on the calendar. The Mexico City Grand Prix is a major event for Latin America.

What Is Not Known

Qualifying results and any penalties are not yet known. We also cannot say yet whether Sunday’s rain chance will hold.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time is qualifying for the US Grand Prix in Eastern Time?

Qualifying runs from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, 24 October, which is 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Austin. Final practice runs earlier, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. ET.

What time does the US Grand Prix start on Sunday?

The race starts at 4:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, 25 October (3:00 p.m. in Austin). It covers 56 laps of about 308 kilometres.

What is the weather forecast for Austin this weekend?

Formula 1’s forecast shows warm, dry conditions on Saturday with no chance of rain. Sunday carries a 20% chance of rain.

Who is favoured to win the 2026 drivers’ title?

Polymarket priced Kimi Antonelli at 97.6% as of about 8:55 p.m. ET on 23 October. That is a market price, not an official forecast.

Sources: Formula 1 (race hub and timetable, official forecast), Polymarket, FIA.

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief