Mexico City GP 2026 in Malaysia: 4am Monday start, how to watch and what is at stake
The Mexico City Grand Prix starts at 4am Monday Malaysia time. Kimi Antonelli starts fourth with title rivals Hamilton and Russell on the front row.
Formula 1 fans in Malaysia will need an early alarm for the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix. Lights out at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is at 2pm local time on Sunday, 1 November, which is 4am on Monday, 2 November in Malaysia. It is round 19 of the season. Kimi Antonelli can clinch the world championship, but his two remaining title rivals start ahead of him.
Start time in Malaysia
Mexico City does not use daylight saving time, so it is six hours behind UTC and 14 hours behind Malaysia.
- Race start: 2pm Sunday 1 November in Mexico City, 8pm UTC, and 4am Monday 2 November in Malaysia and Singapore.
- Thailand and Indonesia (Jakarta): 3am Monday.
- Philippines: 4am Monday.
Pre-race coverage usually starts about 90 minutes before the start. Viewers who want to watch from the grid should tune in around 2.30am Malaysia time.
How to watch in Malaysia
beIN Sports holds the F1 broadcast rights in Malaysia and nine other Asian territories. Its channels are available to subscribers on Astro, Astro Go, Sooka and Unifi TV, and through beIN's own streaming service, beIN Sports Connect. F1's own subscription service, F1 TV, is also available in Malaysia.
Free-to-air coverage on RTM was arranged for the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend in early October. No similar free broadcast has been announced for Mexico, so fans should check local listings.
The grid
Lewis Hamilton starts on pole for Ferrari after beating George Russell by 0.009s, with Charles Leclerc third. Antonelli starts fourth and Max Verstappen fifth after a one-place penalty. Lando Norris, Isack Hadjar, Arvid Lindblad, Pierre Gasly and Nico Hulkenberg complete the top ten. Liam Lawson starts from the back after being disqualified from qualifying, and Valtteri Bottas is also at the back after a 50-place power unit penalty.
What is at stake
Antonelli arrives in Mexico on 365 points, 123 ahead of Russell (242) and 124 ahead of Hamilton (241). There is no fastest-lap bonus in 2026 and no sprints remain, so 125 points are left including this race and 100 after it. Antonelli has nine wins this season. That is more than either rival can reach, so he would win any tie on countback.
That makes the maths simple:
- If anyone other than Russell or Hamilton wins, Antonelli is champion whatever his own result.
- If Hamilton wins, Antonelli needs at least one point (10th place).
- If Russell wins, Antonelli needs at least ninth place.
Russell and Hamilton start first and second, so the title cannot be settled until the closing laps. A Leclerc or Verstappen win would end the fight at once. Antonelli has also been recovering from a viral illness this week.
If the title goes on, the next round is the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on 8 November, followed by Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Key takeaways
- The Mexico City GP starts at 4am Monday 2 November, Malaysia time.
- beIN Sports (via Astro, Sooka, Unifi TV or beIN Sports Connect) is the main way to watch in Malaysia.
- Antonelli starts fourth and leads Russell by 123 points with 125 available.
- Antonelli is champion unless Russell or Hamilton wins and he finishes too low: ninth is enough if Russell wins, tenth if Hamilton wins.
FAQ
What time is the Mexico City Grand Prix in Malaysia? 4am on Monday, 2 November 2026. The race starts at 2pm on Sunday in Mexico City.
Where can I watch F1 in Malaysia? On beIN Sports through Astro, Astro Go, Sooka or Unifi TV, on beIN Sports Connect, or on F1 TV.
Can Antonelli win the title in Mexico? Yes. He clinches it unless Russell or Hamilton wins. If Russell wins, Antonelli needs ninth or better. If Hamilton wins, he needs tenth or better.
Sources: Formula1.com, Grande Premio, Sky Sports, Soyacincau, Advanced Television