Kimi Antonelli Wins US GP 2026 as Leclerc and Verstappen Complete the Podium

Austin, United States, October 26, 2026: Kimi Antonelli delivered a commanding performance at the 2026 FIA Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, securing his ninth victory of the season after leading Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen across the finish line at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA). The Mercedes driver converted pole position into victory, finishing 13.078 seconds ahead of Leclerc in a 56-lap race that was shaped by strategic pit stops, on-track battles and penalties.

Leclerc finished second for Ferrari, while reigning champion Verstappen claimed third for Red Bull. Lewis Hamilton secured fourth place in the second Ferrari, ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris, as Antonelli strengthened his position with another impressive performance in the 2026 F1 season.

Antonelli Controls US Grand Prix from Pole

Antonelli made a clean getaway from pole position to retain the lead into Turn 1. Leclerc initially moved ahead of Verstappen, but the Red Bull driver quickly reclaimed second place before the end of the opening lap. A brief Virtual Safety Car (VSC) period to clear debris did little to interrupt Antonelli’s rhythm, with the Italian building an advantage of almost three seconds by Lap 10.

The Mercedes driver continued to manage the race effectively as the field battled for position behind him. While Verstappen and Leclerc fought for the remaining podium places, Antonelli focused on preserving his tyres and extending his opening stint.

Verstappen triggered the first round of pit stops on Lap 14, switching to soft tyres and rejoining in eighth place. He quickly worked his way through the field, while Hamilton, Leclerc and Oscar Piastri also made their stops. Norris followed a lap later.

Mercedes adopted a different strategy, keeping both its drivers out on the medium compound for longer. The extended first stint proved crucial, allowing Antonelli to gain a strategic advantage over his rivals.

Verstappen passed George Russell to move into the top three behind Red Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar. Red Bull subsequently instructed Hadjar to let the Dutchman through, freeing Verstappen to pursue the leaders.

Antonelli made his only pit stop at the end of Lap 24, switching to hard tyres and rejoining in fourth place. His longer opening stint gave Mercedes the flexibility it needed to bring him back into contention for the lead.

Ferrari and Red Bull Battle for the Podium

While Antonelli controlled the race at the front, the battle for the remaining podium positions intensified in the closing stages.

Verstappen encountered difficulties with his Red Bull, describing the car as undriveable and expressing concerns about his front wing. The Dutchman subsequently made a second pit stop, complicating his attempt to challenge Antonelli for victory.

Ferrari’s strategy brought Leclerc and Hamilton into contention, while Norris initially benefited from McLaren’s decision to keep him out on hard tyres. With 20 laps remaining, Antonelli led Leclerc and Hamilton as he continued to manage his advantage.

A lock-up at Turn 12 followed a tense encounter with backmarker Carlos Sainz, but Antonelli quickly recovered and resumed building his lead.

Further pit stops for Ferrari reshuffled the order, promoting Norris and Verstappen into podium contention. Verstappen rapidly closed the gap to Norris and overtook the McLaren driver at the start of Lap 47.

Leclerc then joined the fight, passing Norris before moving ahead of Verstappen to secure second place. Hamilton also overtook Norris to claim fourth, leaving the McLaren driver fifth as his tyres lost performance towards the finish.

A second Virtual Safety Car was deployed after Valtteri Bottas stopped his Cadillac on Lap 48. However, Antonelli’s substantial advantage ensured that the interruption posed little threat to his victory, and he maintained control after racing resumed.

The Mercedes driver crossed the finish line in 1:35:16.650 to secure his ninth win of the 2026 campaign. Leclerc finished 13.078 seconds behind, with Verstappen a further 4.407 seconds back in third.

Russell Penalised as Haas Endures Difficult Home Race

The race also featured several incidents and penalties further down the field. Russell came under investigation following contact with Piastri while disputing position and received a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage.

McLaren instructed Norris and Piastri to swap positions, allowing Norris to pursue Russell. The Mercedes driver eventually recovered to eighth place despite his penalty.

Haas also made a strategic call during its home race, asking Oliver Bearman to let team-mate Esteban Ocon through after the British driver reported unusual handling. The team prioritised Ocon’s undamaged car in its attempt to score points, but Bearman’s afternoon deteriorated further when he received a 10-second penalty before retiring with damage on Lap 24.

Hadjar finished sixth for Red Bull despite reporting throttle-response problems. Piastri took seventh for McLaren, while Liam Lawson secured ninth for Racing Bulls. Pierre Gasly completed the top 10 for Alpine.

Nico Hülkenberg narrowly missed out on points in 11th for Audi, followed by Arvid Lindblad and Gabriel Bortoleto. Ocon finished 14th, ahead of Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso. Alexander Albon and Sainz finished 17th and 18th respectively for Williams, while Sergio Pérez took 19th for Cadillac.

Bottas, Alpine’s Franco Colapinto and Haas driver Bearman were the three retirements.

Antonelli’s dominant performance capped a dramatic afternoon at COTA, with Mercedes executing the strategy required to beat Ferrari and Red Bull. Leclerc and Verstappen completed the podium, but the spotlight belonged to Antonelli, whose ninth victory of the season underlined his growing influence on the 2026 Formula 1 championship.

2026 F1 United States Grand Prix: Complete Race Results

Circuit of The Americas, Austin, Texas · 56 laps