Antonelli ends Ferrari’s run at the top
Kimi Antonelli finished qualifying for the 2026 United States Grand Prix on top with a 1:34.035 lap at Circuit of the Americas. The Mercedes driver beat Red Bull team-mates Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar to first place. Qualifying took place on Saturday, 24 October in Texas, crossing into the early hours of Sunday, 25 October for readers in Romania. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton completed the top five.
Austin qualifying: the top-five times
Verstappen finished 0.179 seconds away from pole, with Hadjar 0.215 seconds behind Antonelli. The Frenchman kept Leclerc behind by just 17 thousandths. The table shows the leading five Q3 results before any grid sanctions are applied. Gaps are calculated against Antonelli’s best lap. They measure performance over a single attempt rather than pace across a Grand Prix distance.
| Pos | Driver | Team | Q3 time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:34.035 | — |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:34.214 | +0.179 s |
| 3 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | 1:34.250 | +0.215 s |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:34.267 | +0.232 s |
| 5 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:34.311 | +0.276 s |
Ferrari loses first place when it matters
Leclerc had led both Friday practice sessions before Hamilton topped FP3 with a 1:34.893. Ferrari therefore approached qualifying after a clean sweep of practice. Saturday’s result nevertheless showed how little separated the teams once the decisive lap mattered: both Ferrari drivers were within three tenths of pole, but neither reached the top three. These times alone cannot isolate a technical cause for the change in order, or establish how the cars will compare over longer runs.
Two Red Bulls immediately behind the leader
Verstappen and Hadjar put two Red Bulls between Antonelli and Ferrari in the qualifying result. Looking ahead to the race, that makes the start and the timing of pit stops particularly interesting. This is an interpretation of the order achieved on track, rather than evidence of an automatic strategic advantage for Red Bull. The run towards Turn 1, tyre behaviour and stint pace will determine whether staying close to Mercedes can develop into a sustained challenge.
Qualifying order and starting grid: three confirmed penalties
The qualifying classification must be distinguished from Sunday’s official starting grid. Formula 1 has confirmed a five-place drop for Arvid Lindblad and ten places for Franco Colapinto after they exceeded their power-unit component allocations. Gabriel Bortoleto faces a cumulative 80-place sanction and must start from the back. His penalty increased on Saturday from the 20 places initially announced. The FIA’s official grid determines each driver’s actual starting position after the relevant penalties have been applied.
When does the race start in Romania?
The United States Grand Prix starts on Sunday, 25 October at 15:00 in Austin, equivalent to 22:00 in Romania. The clock change matters: Romania switches from EEST to EET that night, while Texas remains on daylight saving time. Pole gives Antonelli the best position for the opening of the race, but qualifying awards no points and does not settle the championship on its own. Sunday’s race still has to deliver the result.
