F1 United States GP 2026 Qualifying Results Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli secured pole position with a stellar performance. Antonelli set the fastest lap of 1:34.035 at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, beating Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.179 seconds.
This result changed the predictions before qualifying, as Ferrari’s pace had looked quite strong in practice sessions.
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Verstappen finished second, while his Red Bull teammate Isaac Hadjer secured third place. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton had to settle for fourth and fifth positions respectively. Thus, Mercedes secured pole position, while both Red Bull drivers finished in the top three.
F1 United States GP 2026 Qualifying Results: Full Classification
| Position | Driver | Team | Best Q3 Lap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:34.035 |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:34.214 |
| 3 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | 1:34.250 |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:34.267 |
| 5 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:34.311 |
| 6 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:34.476 |
| 7 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:34.803 |
| 8 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:35.049 |
| 9 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 1:36.049 |
| 10 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | Q3 time not recorded |
| 11 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:35.080 (Q2) |
| 12 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | 1:35.158 (Q2) |
| 13 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 1:35.691 (Q2) |
| 14 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:35.722 (Q2) |
| 15 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:35.818 (Q2) |
| 16 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1:36.031 (Q2) |
| 17 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:36.531 (Q1) |
| 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:36.677 (Q1) |
| 19 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:36.770 (Q1) |
| 20 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:36.967 (Q1) |
| 21 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | 1:37.433 (Q1) |
| 22 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 1:37.523 (Q1) |
Note: This is the qualifying classification. The final race starting order may change after grid penalties are applied.
How did Kimi Antonelli achieve Pole Position?
Antonelli showed his speed at the most crucial moment of qualifying. The Mercedes driver’s lap of 1:34.035 was the fastest in Q3. Verstappen set a time of 1:34.214, but could not beat Antonelli’s benchmark. Hadjar also put in a strong lap to secure third place, giving Red Bull a solid starting position on the grid.
This result is also important for Antonelli in the context of the championship battle. He enters the United States GP weekend in a strong position for title contention. Their performance in the race could be even more significant, but winning the pole position means the championship is not yet confirmed.
Ferrari Couldn’t Convert Practice Pace into Qualifying
Ferrari displayed impressive speed in practice sessions. Charles Leclerc led both practice sessions on Friday, while Lewis Hamilton set the fastest lap in FP3. After this performance, Ferrari was considered a strong contender for pole position.
But the picture changed in qualifying. Leclerc finished fourth and Hamilton fifth. Both drivers are in the top five, so they have competitive starting positions for the race, but Ferrari needed more pace than Mercedes and Red Bull to claim pole position.
George Russell qualified in sixth position, a mixed result for Mercedes. Antonelli secured pole, but Russell failed to join his teammate on the front row.
McLaren and Midfield Performance
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri finished seventh, while Lando Norris finished eighth. Norris was fastest in Q1, but his Q3 lap was deleted in the final classification after a track-limits violation, affecting his position.
Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson completed the top 10. Lindblad finished ninth, while Lawson finished tenth. However, Lindblad has been issued a five-place grid penalty for a power-unit component change, which will affect his race starting position.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly finished 11th, and Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg finished 12th. Gabriele Bortoleto qualified 13th, and Franco Colapinto 14th. Colapinto also received a grid penalty report, so his position on the final starting grid could be lowered.
Grid Penalties: Race Starting Order May Change
Grid penalties must be considered when confirming drivers’ final starting positions after qualifying. Arvid Lindblad received a five-place penalty report, and Franco Colapinto received a 10-place penalty report. Gabriele Bortoleto also received a substantial penalty report due to multiple power-unit component changes.
Therefore, qualifying results cannot be considered the final race grid. The exact race-starting position of each driver should only be definitively published after the FIA’s final starting grid confirmation.
Auto India Daily Verdict
F1 United States GP 2026 Qualifying Results Kimi Antonelli’s pole position in Austin was the biggest qualifying result of the weekend. Despite Ferrari showing strong pace in practice sessions, Mercedes set the fastest lap in the decisive qualifying session.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Isaac Hadjer secured second and third positions, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton will have to start the race from fourth and fifth positions.
Tire strategy, opening-lap battles, and grid penalties will be important factors in the race. Antonelli has the advantage of pole position, but Verstappen and Hadjar can create pressure from the front rows. The biggest question for Ferrari will be whether it can recover the pace lost in qualifying in the race.
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Raj Prajapati is a Senior Automotive Content Writer at AutoIndiaDaily. A B.Tech graduate in Computer Science and Engineering, he leverages over four years of experience covering Indian car and bike launches, EV tech, and market dynamics to break down complex automotive regulations into simple consumer guides. Specialising in Indian motor vehicle laws, IRDAI updates, and ownership costs, Raj translates technical auto policies into actionable advice for everyday drivers.