Round 17 of 22

United States Grand Prix

Circuit of the Americas · Austin, USA

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Circuit of the Americas

Austin, USA · America/Chicago

Circuit of the Americas is a 5.513 km (3.426 miles) purpose-built facility in southeast Austin, Texas, with 20 corners across a 56-lap race distance of 308.405 km. Opened in 2012 as the first permanent F1 circuit in the United States, it was designed by Hermann Tilke with inspiration drawn from some of F1’s greatest corners. Charles Leclerc holds the lap record at 1:35.246, set in 2023.

The run up to Turn 1 climbs dramatically before the track drops away on the other side, creating a blind-entry corner that produces some of the best first-lap action of the season. The Turn 1 complex was modelled on Silverstone’s multi-apex sequences. The middle sector combines fast sweeps with technical hairpins, while the back section features a long straight with a DRS zone and heavy braking into Turn 12. A second DRS zone on the main straight into Turn 1 provides additional overtaking opportunities. The elevation changes throughout the lap are reminiscent of the Nurburgring.

COTA brought F1 back to America after the acrimonious end of the Indianapolis era. On 18 November 2012, Lewis Hamilton won the inaugural race. On 21 October 2018, Kimi Raikkonen took his final F1 victory here at the age of 39. On 22 October 2023, Max Verstappen clinched his third consecutive world championship at COTA. The growth of F1’s US audience, accelerated by Netflix’s Drive to Survive, has made the Austin race a sellout event that combines motorsport with the city’s famous music and food culture.

The timezone is America/Chicago at CDT (UTC-5). A 14:00 local start is 19:00 GMT and 21:00 CEST. European fans face an evening start, while viewers in Asia get an early Monday morning window. For the domestic US audience, the timing is ideal across all time zones. Check United States time and Austin time for conversions.

October in Austin is warm, with temperatures around 28 degrees Celsius and a chance of afternoon storms. The track surface is notoriously bumpy, which affects car setup and tyre wear. Teams that manage the bumps well often find a significant performance advantage. Austin’s live music scene, centered around the Sixth Street entertainment district, gives the race weekend an atmosphere that feels authentically American.

See the full race schedule and session times at the United States Grand Prix page.

Live Race Tracker

When the United States Grand Prix goes live, this page transforms into a real-time race tracker. Every car plotted on the Circuit of the Americas circuit map, updating multiple times per second. No app to install, no subscription required.

The tracker connects directly to F1's official timing feed via WebSocket and streams live data to your browser: race positions, gap to leader, interval to car ahead, tire compound, pit stop count, and lap times for all 20 drivers.

Click any driver to see their full race data: fastest lap, last lap time, grid position, tire strategy with stint history, and points scored. The driver card follows their car on the circuit map showing position and gap in real time.

Team radio messages appear in a live feed as they are broadcast. These are the actual audio recordings from the pit wall: engineer instructions, driver reactions, pit calls, and celebrations. Each message has a play button. During the United States Grand Prix, expect 40 to 60 radio clips across all teams.

Race control decisions appear instantly: safety car deployments, yellow flags, driver investigations, penalties, and DRS activation. You see what the stewards are looking at before the television broadcast catches up.

The tracker activates automatically 30 minutes before the session starts and stays connected through red flags, weather delays, and safety cars. If the session is interrupted, the tracker waits and reconnects when racing resumes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time is the United States Grand Prix in my timezone?

The United States Grand Prix starts at 14:00 local time in Austin on 2026-10-25. This page automatically converts the start time to your local timezone.

Where is the United States Grand Prix held?

The United States Grand Prix takes place at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, USA.

Is the United States Grand Prix a sprint weekend?

No, the United States Grand Prix follows the standard weekend format with practice, qualifying, and the race.

Can I watch the United States Grand Prix live timing for free?

Yes. whensport.com provides a free live race tracker for the United States Grand Prix with real-time car positions on a circuit map, live standings, gap times, tire strategy, pit stops, and playable team radio audio. No app or subscription required. The tracker activates 30 minutes before the session starts.

Can I listen to United States Grand Prix team radio live?

Yes. The whensport.com live tracker streams real F1 team radio audio during the United States Grand Prix. You hear actual driver-engineer conversations as they happen, with a play button for each message. Expect 40 to 60 radio clips during the race.