F1 United States GP: Friday timetable, weather outlook, and viewing options

Formula 1 makes its way to Austin this weekend for the United States Grand Prix, with Kimi Antonelli arriving at the Circuit of the Americas poised for his first chance to seize the 2026 world championship.

The Mercedes racer boasts a 102-point lead over team-mate George Russell with six races left on the calendar. Antonelli must surpass Russell's score by 23 points in Austin to claim his inaugural Formula 1 title, meaning that a win alongside a ninth-place finish for Russell would suffice.

Max Verstappen emerges as a formidable contender for Mercedes following Red Bull’s impressive comeback. Verstappen clinched victory in Sepang and followed up with wins in both the sprint and grand prix in Singapore, standing on the podium in seven of the last eight races.

McLaren is aiming to halt a recent downturn after failing to secure a podium finish during the Azerbaijan, Bahrain GP in Malaysia, and Singapore events. Austin also signals a return to Formula 1’s standard grand prix structure after the Singapore sprint weekend, giving teams three practice sessions at the Circuit of the Americas.

Friday features free practice 1, followed by free practice 2 later in the day. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Friday’s activities at the United States GP.

Broadcast coverage of Formula 1 differs by region. In the United States, Apple TV is the main broadcasting partner for the 2026 season, providing access to all sessions through a multi-year agreement. F1 TV remains the series' global subscription streaming service.

For viewers in the United Kingdom, Sky Sports continues to be the championship’s exclusive broadcaster, airing every session live throughout the 2026 season. F1 coverage can also be accessed via Sky Go or NOW, with highlights available free-to-air on Channel 4.

Motorsport.com will deliver live coverage and updates throughout the United States GP weekend.

F1 United States GP Friday schedule

Times local to Austin:

Friday, October 23 — free practice 1 — 12:30pm CDT

Friday, October 23 — free practice 2 — 4:00pm CDT

For UK viewers:

Friday, October 23 — free practice 1 — 6:30pm BST

Friday, October 23 — free practice 2 — 10:00pm BST

For US Eastern Time viewers:

Friday, October 23 — free practice 1 — 1:30pm ET

Friday, October 23 — free practice 2 — 5:00pm ET