Formula 1 today: Antonelli can become world champion for the first time in Austin

At the United States GP at the Circuit of the Americas, Andrea Kimi Antonelli has his first chance to win the world title. The Mercedes driver leads the standings with 340 points, 102 points clear of his teammate George Russell (238). Lewis Hamilton is next with 229 points.

According to formula1.com, Antonelli would already be champion on Sunday if he wins the race, Russell finishes no higher than ninth and Hamilton crosses the line no better than fifth. At 20 years old, he would be the youngest world champion in history and, according to formula1.com, would beat the record set by Sebastian Vettel in 2010.

Antonelli himself is trying to keep the pressure to a minimum. He said at media day that he doesn't even want to think about it. To get there he would need an almost flawless weekend, and his rivals would also have to slip up. Asked what a title would mean to him, he replied briefly: “It would be a dream.”

George Russell is looking back on his season with a critical eye. According to formula1.com, 2026 has tested his character: after a strong start he struggled to get to grips with the car and suffered several technical failures. He no longer sees himself as a title contender. On Antonelli's title, he said: “it's a matter of when, not if.” What mattered most to him was rediscovering his own form, he said. The standings were not his main focus. According to formula1.com, Russell will also drive for Mercedes in 2027.

Max Verstappen has welcomed Laurent Mekies' contract extension at Red Bull. According to formula1.com, Mekies will remain CEO and team principal until 2031, as Red Bull had already announced earlier in October. Verstappen called Mekies a very hard worker who “fully deserves” the extension. At the same time, he warned that Red Bull's winning streak will not automatically continue in Austin. According to formula1.com, Verstappen has won the last two races. He is fourth in the drivers' championship with 221 points.

Audi will run its junior driver Freddie Slater in two first practice sessions, at the Mexico City GP and the Brazilian GP. According to formula1.com, Audi signed the 18-year-old this year as the very first driver in its development programme. He finished runner-up in Formula 3 with Trident, and next season he will race in Formula 2 for Invicta Racing.

The weekend in Austin gets under way today. FP1 starts at 19:30 German time, FP2 at 23:00. On Saturday, FP3 follows at 19:30 and qualifying at 23:00. Overnight into Sunday, the clocks go back to winter time in Germany. That is why the race on Sunday starts at 21:00 German time. According to Pirelli, the C2, C3 and C4 compounds are available, as formula1.com reports. You can find all the dates in the calendar and the latest picture in the standings.