Buckle up, racing fans! The Formula 1 circus is heading to Austin, Texas, for the United States Grand Prix, and it's shaping up to be a thrilling weekend! This race at the Circuit of the Americas is also the fourth sprint weekend of the 2025 season, adding even more excitement to the mix.
Let's dive into the key storylines and what you need to know before the lights go out.
McLaren's Internal Battle
The last race in Singapore saw McLaren teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris clash, with contact on the first lap. Norris finished third, ahead of Piastri, narrowing the gap in the world championship to just 22 points. McLaren has stated that Norris faces "repercussions" following the incident.
But here's where it gets controversial... Will this incident affect team dynamics? How will McLaren manage its drivers moving forward?
The Contenders
- Max Verstappen: Finished second in Singapore and is 63 points off Piastri in the title race.
- George Russell: Claimed his second victory of the season in Singapore and recently extended his contract with Mercedes.
Ferrari's Struggles
It was another challenging weekend for Ferrari in Singapore, with Lewis Hamilton still searching for his first podium of the season. Charles Leclerc won last year's race in Austin, so the team is hoping for a better performance this time around.
The Starting Grid
Here's the confirmed starting grid for the United States Grand Prix:
- Max Verstappen - Red Bull
- Lando Norris - McLaren
- Charles Leclerc - Ferrari
- George Russell - Mercedes
- Lewis Hamilton - Ferrari
- Oscar Piastri - McLaren
- Kimi Antonelli - Mercedes
- Ollie Bearman - Haas
- Carlos Sainz - Williams
- Fernando Alonso - Aston Martin
- Nico Hulkenberg - Sauber
- Liam Lawson - Racing Bulls
- Yuki Tsunoda - Red Bull
- Pierre Gasly - Alpine
- Franco Colapinto - Alpine
- Gabriel Bortoleto - Sauber
- Esteban Ocon - Haas
- Lance Stroll - Aston Martin
- Alex Albon - Williams
- Isack Hadjar - Racing Bulls
Race Schedule
Here's when you can catch all the action (all times are BST):
- Saturday, October 18: Qualifying at 10 PM
- Sunday, October 19: Race at 8 PM
Where to Watch
- United Kingdom: Sky Sports
- United States: ESPN
Sky Sports subscribers can stream the race on the Sky Go app. If you're not a Sky customer, you can get a NOWTV Day Pass. If you're traveling abroad, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app.
F1 Driver Standings
Here's the current top 10 in the driver standings:
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 336 points
- Lando Norris (McLaren) – 314 points
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 273 points
- George Russell (Mercedes) – 237 points
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 173 points
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 127 points
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 88 points
- Alex Albon (Williams) – 70 points
- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 39 points
- Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) - 37 points
F1 Constructor Standings
Here's the current top 10 in the constructor standings:
- McLaren - 650 points
- Mercedes - 325 points
- Ferrari - 300 points
- Red Bull - 290 points
- Williams - 102 points
- Racing Bulls - 72 points
- Aston Martin - 66 points
- Sauber - 55 points
- Haas - 46 points
- Alpine - 20 points
Remaining 2025 F1 Calendar
Here's a look at the races still to come:
- Round 19: United States (Sprint Weekend) - October 17-19
- Round 20: Mexico - October 24-26
- Round 21: Brazil (Sprint Weekend) - November 7-9
- Round 22: Las Vegas - November 20-22
- Round 23: Qatar (Sprint Weekend) - November 28-30
- Round 24: Abu Dhabi - December 5-7
What are your predictions for the US Grand Prix? Will McLaren's internal conflict affect their performance? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
