Antonelli masters Austin to take dominant United States GP win

Clinical start and tyre control seal COTA victory

Andrea Kimi Antonelli drove the race of a champion one week too early at the 2026 United States Grand Prix in Austin. The win was Antonelli’s first since Madrid in September and was described as mature and technically astute from the first lap to the chequered flag.

Antonelli was clinical off the line, turning pole into the lead at the start. He managed the gap to his pursuers during the opening laps and then slow-burned his tyres over two long stints to get the most out of the Pirelli rubber without risking runaway degradation.

The performance belied his inexperience in Formula 1 and underlined why he heads to Mexico with championship momentum. The victory puts him in position to take home the title, with a second and better chance to clinch it this weekend in Mexico City.

Context from Austin

Earlier reporting from 2026-10-26 noted Charles Leclerc was voted Driver of the Day for the United States Grand Prix after a feisty drive to second place behind race winner Antonelli in a race-long battle with Max Verstappen. The result marked Leclerc’s third fan-vote prize of the season and his second consecutive P2 finish.