United States GP 2026 qualifying results: Antonelli on pole, Lindblad and Colapinto penalised
Full Q1, Q2 and Q3 times plus the official starting grid, with Lindblad, Colapinto and Bortoleto moved back for power unit changes
Kimi Antonelli takes pole for the United States Grand Prix with a 1:34.035, 0.179 seconds clear of Max Verstappen, with Isack Hadjar third. Three drivers take grid penalties for power unit changes, so the starting grid differs from the qualifying order from ninth place down.
Start times (local, CET and US Eastern) and how to watch: United States GP 2026 schedule. How the session unfolded: Antonelli takes United States GP pole by 0.179s from Verstappen.
Qualifying and race on one page: United States Grand Prix 2026 results.
United States GP 2026 qualifying results
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:35.390 | 1:34.278 | 1:34.035 | 18 |
| 2 | 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 1:35.215 | 1:34.471 | 1:34.214 | 12 |
| 3 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull Racing | 1:35.286 | 1:34.887 | 1:34.250 | 12 |
| 4 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:35.200 | 1:34.198 | 1:34.267 | 15 |
| 5 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:35.355 | 1:34.833 | 1:34.311 | 14 |
| 6 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:35.730 | 1:34.305 | 1:34.476 | 18 |
| 7 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:35.842 | 1:34.818 | 1:34.803 | 20 |
| 8 | 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:35.029 | 1:34.539 | 1:35.049 | 15 |
| 9 | 41 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 1:35.755 | 1:34.950 | 1:36.049 | 15 |
| 10 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:35.662 | 1:35.058 | no time | 9 |
| 11 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:35.969 | 1:35.080 | 12 | |
| 12 | 27 | Nico Hülkenberg | Audi | 1:35.704 | 1:35.158 | 12 | |
| 13 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 1:35.632 | 1:35.691 | 12 | |
| 14 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:35.898 | 1:35.722 | 12 | |
| 15 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:36.240 | 1:35.818 | 15 | |
| 16 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1:36.175 | 1:36.031 | 15 | |
| 17 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:36.531 | 9 | ||
| 18 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:36.677 | 9 | ||
| 19 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:36.770 | 9 | ||
| 20 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:36.967 | 9 | ||
| 21 | 11 | Sergio Pérez | Cadillac | 1:37.433 | 9 | ||
| 22 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 1:37.523 | 9 |
Source: formula1.com, official qualifying classification.
Starting grid: Lindblad 14th, Colapinto 21st, Bortoleto last
Arvid Lindblad takes a five-place penalty and Franco Colapinto a ten-place penalty, each for an additional power unit element. Gabriel Bortoleto used several additional power unit elements and starts from the back.
| Grid | No. | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes |
| 2 | 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing |
| 3 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull Racing |
| 4 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 5 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari |
| 6 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 7 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren |
| 8 | 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 9 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls |
| 10 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine |
| 11 | 27 | Nico Hülkenberg | Audi |
| 12 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin |
| 13 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas |
| 14 | 41 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls |
| 15 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas |
| 16 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin |
| 17 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams |
| 18 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams |
| 19 | 11 | Sergio Pérez | Cadillac |
| 20 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac |
| 21 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine |
| 22 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi |
Source: formula1.com, official starting grid.
Leclerc topped Q2, Norris lost his best Q3 lap
Leclerc was quickest in Q2 with a 1:34.198 but could not improve in Q3 and starts fourth. Norris had his best Q3 lap deleted for exceeding track limits, which left him eighth behind team-mate Oscar Piastri. Racing Bulls did not send Lindblad and Lawson out again in Q3. Ocon, Stroll, both Williams drivers and both Cadillacs went out in Q1.
Our arithmetic: Hamilton and Russell start where the title stays open
Antonelli leads the championship by 102 points and is champion on Sunday only if he wins, Russell finishes ninth or lower and Hamilton fifth or lower. Hamilton starts fifth and Russell sixth, so both begin the race in positions that keep the title fight alive. All scenarios: F1 2026 championship permutations.
The United States Grand Prix starts at 15:00 local, 21:00 CET and 16:00 ET
The race on Sunday 25 October runs over 56 laps. The clocks in Europe went back overnight, so the start is at 21:00 CET.
Who gains most from the penalties: can Lawson and Gasly turn their top ten grid slots into points? Tell us in the comments.
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