Next F1 race after Singapore: Antonelli's title shot in Austin, 4am Malaysia time on 26 October
F1 heads to Austin for the United States Grand Prix on 23-25 October. The race starts at 4am Malaysia time on Monday 26 October, with Antonelli able to clinch the title.
After the Singapore Grand Prix, Formula 1 takes a two-week break before heading to the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, for the United States Grand Prix on 23 to 25 October. For fans in Malaysia and Singapore it is an early-morning affair: the 56-lap race starts at 4am on Monday 26 October (UTC+8). It is also the first weekend at which Kimi Antonelli can be crowned 2026 world champion.
Austin weekend in Malaysia time
Austin is a standard Grand Prix weekend with no sprint. Converted from Austin local time (CDT, UTC-5), the sessions fall as follows in Malaysia and Singapore:
- Practice 1: Saturday 24 October, 1.30am
- Practice 2: Saturday 24 October, 5am
- Practice 3: Sunday 25 October, 1.30am
- Qualifying: Sunday 25 October, 5am
- Race: Monday 26 October, 4am
The race begins at 3pm local time in Austin on Sunday 25 October.
What Singapore set up
Antonelli's third place at Marina Bay, with George Russell ninth, left the Mercedes driver 102 points clear, 340 to 238, with six races remaining. With no sprints left, 125 points will still be on offer after Austin, so Antonelli needs to leave Texas more than 125 points ahead of everyone. A win for him, with Russell 10th or lower and Lewis Hamilton fifth or lower, would do it. Anything less than victory means the celebration waits at least until Mexico City on 1 November. If he does it in Austin, Antonelli would become Formula 1's youngest champion at 20.
Verstappen arrives in form
Max Verstappen is the man in form. His Singapore weekend brought a sprint win, his 50th career pole and a lights-to-flag Grand Prix victory, his first at Marina Bay, worth 33 points in all. He climbed to fourth in the standings on 221 points, just 17 behind Russell in second. Russell himself said after Singapore that Red Bull and Verstappen have been stronger than Mercedes in recent races, which raises the possibility of Verstappen taking points off both Mercedes drivers in Texas. A Verstappen win in Austin would by definition stop Antonelli clinching there.
Mercedes' worries
Mercedes go to Austin leading the constructors' standings by 134 points from Ferrari, but not without concerns. Antonelli battled brake trouble linked to heat soak in Singapore and was lucky to avoid a track-limits penalty. Russell has used more power unit components than allowed and expects another engine penalty later in the year, possibly in Las Vegas rather than Austin.
The fight for second
Behind Antonelli, the scrap for runner-up is wide open. Russell (238), Hamilton (229), Verstappen (221), Leclerc (215) and Lando Norris (201) are separated by 37 points, and Hamilton will be looking to make amends after admitting his one-stop call cost Ferrari in Singapore.
Key takeaways
- The next round is the United States Grand Prix in Austin, 23-25 October.
- The race starts at 4am Malaysia/Singapore time on Monday 26 October; qualifying is 5am on Sunday 25 October.
- Antonelli clinches with a win if Russell is 10th or lower and Hamilton fifth or lower.
- Verstappen arrives on a high after a 33-point Singapore weekend.
FAQ
When is the next F1 race after Singapore? The United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, from 23 to 25 October 2026.
What time is the US Grand Prix in Malaysia? The race starts at 4am on Monday 26 October Malaysia time, which is 3pm on Sunday in Austin.
Is the Austin round a sprint weekend? No. It is a standard format with three practice sessions, qualifying and the Grand Prix, and no sprints remain in 2026.
Sources: Formula1.com, GrandPrix.com, Grande Premio, RacingNews365, Sky Sports