Antonelli Dominates Austin as Haas and Cadillac Endure Difficult Home Race
Kimi Antonelli took a commanding ninth victory of the 2026 season at the United States Grand Prix on October 25, converting pole position into a 13.078-second win over Charles Leclerc. Max Verstappen finished third ahead of Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris and Isack Hadjar, while Oscar Piastri and George Russell completed the top eight.
Antonelli’s medium-tyre start and one-stop strategy proved decisive. While Verstappen and Ferrari adopted more aggressive approaches on soft tires, Antonelli controlled the opening stint and preserved enough performance to stop only once. He pitted on Lap 25 and temporarily dropped behind cars running longer, but reclaimed the on-track lead from Leclerc on Lap 32 as the alternative strategies unfolded.
The late battle behind Antonelli provided most of the drama. Verstappen passed Norris for second on Lap 47, only for Leclerc to overtake both McLaren and Red Bull in quick succession. Hamilton then demoted Norris to fifth. Antonelli, meanwhile, was untouchable at the front and maintained his advantage through a brief late Virtual Safety Car.
The result leaves Antonelli on the verge of becoming the youngest Drivers’ Champion in Formula 1 history. He now has 365 points, leading Russell by 123 and Hamilton by 124 with five races—and 125 points—remaining. Russell and Hamilton are the only drivers still mathematically capable of catching him; Verstappen, Leclerc and Norris have been eliminated despite remaining closely grouped behind the Mercedes pair. A ninth-place finish in Mexico would guarantee Antonelli the championship regardless of his rivals’ results.
Mercedes also moved closer to the Constructors’ Championship. Its advantage over Ferrari is now 133 points with 215 still available. Ferrari remains mathematically alive, but Mercedes would require a significant collapse over the final five rounds to surrender the title.
Haas’ home weekend produced more frustration than progress. Oliver Bearman had shown encouraging speed by placing 10th in Friday practice, but contact with Pierre Gasly brought a 10-second penalty during the race. Bearman served the penalty before retiring shortly afterward; a definitive mechanical cause was not immediately confirmed. Esteban Ocon reached the finish but placed only 14th, one lap down, leaving Haas without points.
The outcome was particularly disappointing after the team’s promising Friday running and special Godzilla-themed Austin livery. Haas remains seventh in the Constructors’ standings on 30 points, seven ahead of Audi, but missed an opportunity to strengthen that position after Nico Hülkenberg finished 11th.
Cadillac’s inaugural home Grand Prix exposed how much work remains. Sergio Pérez finished 19th and last among the classified runners, one lap behind, after the team had occupied the final row in qualifying. Valtteri Bottas retired on Lap 53 after pulling off the circuit, triggering the late Virtual Safety Car; the precise cause was not immediately confirmed.
Cadillac consequently remains last and scoreless. Austin offered neither the improving midfield pace Pérez had occasionally demonstrated earlier in the season nor the reliability lift the team needed. At its most commercially significant race of the year, the lasting story was instead a substantial qualifying deficit, an uncompetitive Sunday and another retirement. See you next week in Mexico!