F1 United States GP 2026 FP1 LIVE: Formula 1 arrives at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, for the 2026 United States Grand Prix weekend.
The opening practice session will give teams their first opportunity to evaluate their car setups, tyre performance and technical upgrades ahead of the remaining sessions. Follow F1 United States GP 2026 FP1 LIVE for the latest developments, driver updates, track action and confirmed session results.
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The United States Grand Prix is an important stop in the closing stages of the 2026 F1 season, with the championship battle attracting plenty of attention. Kimi Antonelli arrives in Austin with a 102-point lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell, putting him in a position to potentially secure the drivers’ title this weekend if the required results fall his way.
Max Verstappen is also a driver to watch after his victory at the Singapore Grand Prix, which strengthened his late-season campaign.
Also Read: F1 United States GP 2026 Preview: Schedule, Timings and Title Battle
F1 United States GP 2026 FP1 LIVE Updates
00:10 — F1 United States GP 2026 FP1 LIVE: Leclerc Leads Verstappen in Austin
Charles Leclerc topped the opening practice session for the 2026 United States Grand Prix with a best lap of 1:36.052 for Ferrari. Max Verstappen finished second in 1:36.136, just 0.084 seconds behind, while Lando Norris secured third for McLaren with a 1:36.297.
George Russell and Kimi Antonelli put both Mercedes cars inside the top five, while Lewis Hamilton finished sixth in the second Ferrari. Gabriel Bortoleto placed eighth for Audi, and Alexander Albon ended the session 22nd after recording a much slower lap of 2:16.468.
F1 United States GP 2026 FP1: Full Results
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:36.052 |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:36.136 |
| 3 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:36.297 |
| 4 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:36.378 |
| 5 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:36.533 |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:36.555 |
| 7 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:36.786 |
| 8 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 1:36.995 |
| 9 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 1:37.063 |
| 10 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:37.309 |
| 11 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1:37.665 |
| 12 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:37.688 |
| 13 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:37.783 |
| 14 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | 1:37.790 |
| 15 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:37.801 |
| 16 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:37.896 |
| 17 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:38.121 |
| 18 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | 1:38.122 |
| 19 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:38.846 |
| 20 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 1:39.053 |
| 21 | Colton Herta | Cadillac | 1:39.979 |
| 22 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 2:16.468 |
23:41 — F1 United States GP 2026 FP1 LIVE: Toto Wolff’s Son Involved in Karting Crash
A scary incident involving Jack Wolff, son of Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, has drawn attention after a karting crash. RacingNews365 shared footage of the incident, describing it as frightening.
According to the report preview, Jack walked away from the crash. Further details about the incident have not been provided in the screenshot.
23:36 — F1 United States GP 2026 FP1 LIVE: Norris Moves Up to Third
Lando Norris has climbed to third in FP1, sitting two-and-a-half tenths of a second behind Charles Leclerc. The battle among the leading four teams remains close as drivers continue pushing for faster lap times.
Norris did make a mistake at Turn 15 on his lap, suggesting there may be room for further improvement. There are 23 minutes remaining in the session at the Circuit of The Americas.
23:34 — F1 United States GP 2026 FP1 LIVE: Leclerc Goes Seven-Tenths Faster
Charles Leclerc has significantly improved the benchmark, gaining seven-tenths of a second on his first run using soft tyres. The Ferrari driver is strengthening his position at the top as teams begin pushing for faster lap times.
Lewis Hamilton attempts to respond but has a major moment at Turn 1 and abandons his lap. There are 26 minutes remaining in FP1 at the Circuit of The Americas.
23:32 — F1 United States GP 2026 FP1 LIVE
23:27 — F1 United States GP 2026 FP1 LIVE: Colapinto Faces Car Issues
Franco Colapinto appears to be experiencing problems with his Alpine, with work underway on the rear of the car inside the garage. The Argentine driver is currently 20th in the FP1 standings.
There are 33 minutes remaining in the session, leaving Alpine with limited time to investigate the issue and get Colapinto back on track.
23:20 — F1 United States GP 2026 FP1 LIVE: Leclerc Moves Ahead of Hamilton
Charles Leclerc has moved to the top of the FP1 timing charts, edging Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton by less than a tenth of a second. Ferrari’s upgraded SF-26 is showing strong early pace, with Lando Norris in third, around four-tenths behind Leclerc.
Kimi Antonelli is fourth while running on hard tyres, just a millisecond slower than Norris’s McLaren. There are 39 minutes remaining in the session as teams continue evaluating their setups at COTA.
23:11 — F1 United States GP 2026 FP1 LIVE: Hamilton Leads Leclerc
Lewis Hamilton has set the early pace in FP1 with a lap time of 1:37.235. Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc is second, a couple of tenths behind him.
Lando Norris sits third, with Max Verstappen in fourth. There are 48 minutes remaining in the session as teams continue their opening runs at COTA.
23:04 — F1 United States GP 2026 FP1 LIVE: Green Light as Practice Begins
The green light is on at the Circuit of The Americas, officially getting Free Practice 1 underway at the 2026 United States Grand Prix. Cars are heading out of the pit lane as teams begin their opening running in Austin.
With 60 minutes of practice available, drivers will work on car setups and gather initial data in dry conditions. Early lap times and team pace will become clearer as more cars complete their first runs.
23:02 — F1 United States GP 2026 FP1 LIVE: Colapinto Leads Cars Out
Franco Colapinto leads a group of cars onto the track as FP1 gets underway at the Circuit of The Americas. Cadillac’s Colton Herta has also emerged, but his car appears to have an unusually large rake fitted for the session.
The source says photos will follow as they become available, with 58 minutes remaining in the session at the time of the update.
22:54 — F1 United States GP 2026 FP1 LIVE: Dry Conditions Expected in Austin
There is zero chance of rain for FP1 at the Circuit of The Americas. Air temperature is 27°C, while the track temperature has reached 40°C ahead of the session.
Humidity is low and wind is almost negligible, giving teams dry conditions to evaluate their car setups and tyre performance during the opening practice session.
22:50 — F1 United States GP 2026 FP1 LIVE: FIA Plans Software Test
The FIA will conduct a software simulation at the end of FP1 to test additional protections for low-grip conditions. The test will involve F1 teams and power unit manufacturers working together to refine the system.
During their in-laps, drivers will follow specific inputs, with cars running at low speed for a short distance around Turn 15. The procedure is part of ongoing software development and is not a competitive on-track run.
22:35 — F1 United States GP 2026 FP1 LIVE: Championship Battle in Focus
Kimi Antonelli’s championship advantage makes Austin a particularly important weekend for Mercedes. According to the pre-event championship scenario reported by Formula 1 coverage, Antonelli could mathematically clinch the title at the United States Grand Prix if he wins, George Russell finishes ninth or lower, and Lewis Hamilton finishes fifth or lower. The result will depend on the actual race outcomes, so the title is not guaranteed heading into practice.
Max Verstappen’s recent form adds another storyline to the weekend. The Red Bull driver arrives after winning in Singapore, while other leading teams will be aiming to extract more performance from their cars as the season progresses. FP1 will not decide the championship, but it can offer an early indication of the pace and consistency each team brings to Austin.
22:30 — F1 United States GP 2026 FP1 LIVE: What to Expect
Friday’s opening practice session will be the first chance for all teams to gather meaningful data from the Austin circuit. Engineers will assess aerodynamic performance, mechanical balance, tyre behaviour and how their cars respond to the track’s varied corner combinations. The information collected during FP1 will help teams decide which setup changes to make before the second practice session.
Drivers will also need to build confidence through COTA’s fast corners and significant elevation changes. Early running can include installation laps, system checks and initial setup evaluations before teams move towards longer runs and more representative lap times. Track conditions and traffic may influence how quickly drivers find their rhythm, so the session’s progress will be worth following throughout the hour.
22:21 — F1 United States GP 2026 FP1 LIVE: Austin Practice Build-Up Begins
Preparations are underway at the Circuit of The Americas as Formula 1 gears up for Free Practice 1 at the 2026 United States Grand Prix. The opening 60-minute session is scheduled to begin at 11:00 PM IST, with teams set to evaluate their cars and the weekend’s upgrades once running gets underway.
22:19 — F1 United States GP 2026 FP1 LIVE: Circuit of The Americas Guide
The Circuit of The Americas is a 5.513-kilometre Formula 1 circuit featuring 20 corners and a mix of high-speed changes of direction, technical sections and overtaking opportunities. The track has hosted the United States Grand Prix since 2012 and has become a regular fixture on the modern F1 calendar.
One of its most recognisable features is the steep uphill approach to Turn 1, where drivers must brake carefully before entering the corner. The flowing sequence through the early sector tests aerodynamic balance, while the slower turns later in the lap challenge traction and tyre management. The Grand Prix is scheduled for 56 laps, covering 308.432 kilometres.
For teams, finding the right compromise between cornering performance and straight-line speed will be essential. Friday’s running will help establish a baseline, although the final competitive picture should become clearer as more data is collected during practice and qualifying.
F1 United States GP 2026 FP1 LIVE: Full Weekend Schedule and IST Timings
| Session | Date in India | Start Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|
| Free Practice 1 (FP1) | Friday, October 23 | 11:00 PM |
| Free Practice 2 (FP2) | Saturday, October 24 | 2:30 AM |
| Free Practice 3 (FP3) | Saturday, October 24 | 11:00 PM |
| Qualifying | Sunday, October 25 | 2:30 AM |
| United States Grand Prix | Monday, October 26 | 1:30 AM |
All timings are in Indian Standard Time. Late-night sessions in Austin fall on the following calendar date in India.
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