Key Winners and Losers from the 2026 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix

The 2026 United States Grand Prix at Austin didn’t deliver a classic race despite having many elements for excitement. Four teams were competitive, and tire strategy played a role with all three compounds in use. Still, nothing on the Circuit of the Americas could disturb Kimi Antonelli, who claimed his ninth win of the season and is now nearly certain to clinch his maiden title next Sunday in Mexico City.

Champion-Elect: Kimi Antonelli

With only Lewis Hamilton and George Russell mathematically able to contest the championship, the margin is so slim that Antonelli's position feels unassailable. Both Mercedes drivers would need to win in Mexico, a scenario considered practically impossible based on current calculations. Even if one manages victory, Antonelli needs just a point or two to become Formula 1's youngest champion ever, surpassing Sebastian Vettel by three years.

Toto Wolff called Antonelli’s Austin win his finest yet. Starting on medium tires, the 20-year-old held off early pressure and controlled the race without reacting to strategic ploys. Mercedes stuck to a planned one-stop approach, leaving Antonelli untroubled. Wolff’s excitement almost made him forget Antonelli’s earlier comeback triumph in Monza, which had Ferrari fans cheering a Mercedes driver. The celebration gear originally prepared for Mexico will now be used there, where the drinking age is lower than in the U.S.

Struggles Continue for George Russell

On the other hand, George Russell faced a tough weekend, slipping further behind in form. Even assuming Antonelli is naturally faster, Russell is not far off pace, suggesting other factors are at play. A key theory points to the Mercedes upgrade introduced in Malaysia. While it increased speed, it made the car harder to optimize. Russell seems more affected by this change than his teammate, struggling to find the right setup and dropping off sharply when conditions aren’t perfect.

Russell expressed confusion after finishing eighth, stuck behind Oscar Piastri. He described his first stint pace as poor and vowed to work with his team to understand the cause. With Hamilton likely overtaking him in the standings, Russell’s priority is stopping the downward trend before the offseason.

Charles Leclerc Delivers Strong Race After Qualifying Setback

Charles Leclerc bounced back from criticism over a cautious move in Singapore by showing no hesitation in Austin. He boldly passed polesitter Max Verstappen on the outside through COTA’s fast first sector, enjoying the close battle. Later in the race, Leclerc overtook Verstappen again thanks to better tire management.

Leclerc’s performance contrasted with a less impressive qualifying session, proving Ferrari can still challenge Red Bull under race conditions.

Isack Hadjar’s Promising Start Turns Frustrating

Isack Hadjar secured an excellent qualifying position but his race quickly deteriorated. Starting from third, his clutch suffered an overdelivery issue, radio communication was poor, and he ended up using the wrong engine map, losing significant time on hard tires.

Hadjar’s patience wore thin over team radio, recalling his fiery F2 days. The mishaps cost him a potential podium finish despite strong pace. He summed up the day by lamenting that while the pace was good, small uncontrollable errors ruined his race.

Liam Lawson Shines for Racing Bulls

Liam Lawson enjoyed a memorable weekend, demonstrating skill on a challenging track. His ninth-place finish extended Racing Bulls’ streak of points finishes to six, consolidating their lead over Alpine in the constructors’ championship by 33 points with 102 total.

Racing Bulls has positioned itself well to surpass last year’s result. Alpine will need a remarkable double podium in Brazil to close the gap.

McLaren Faces Tough Weekend

Lando Norris expressed frustration during the race as McLaren dropped from being one of the fastest teams to fourth best. Near the end, he urged the team to choose any strategy as he fought to maintain a podium spot on worn hard tires, eventually finishing fifth. Post-race, Norris was more composed but acknowledged the sudden dip in competitiveness is difficult to accept for a former world champion.

Oscar Piastri continued to struggle with the 2026 McLaren car. Austin was expected to be tough given past difficulties there, and Mexico’s low-grip, high-altitude track may pose similar challenges.

Summary of Notable Performances

• Kimi Antonelli: Winner and near-certain 2026 world champion.
• George Russell: Eighth place, facing ongoing pace problems.
• Charles Leclerc: Strong race with key overtakes on Verstappen.
• Isack Hadjar: Qualified third but finished sixth due to technical and communication issues.
• Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls): Ninth place, extending points streak and securing constructor advantage.
• Lando Norris (McLaren): Fifth place after a frustrating race defending on worn tires.
• Oscar Piastri (McLaren): Continued struggles in 2026 car, finishing behind Russell.