The 2025 United States Grand Prix saw F1 return to the Americas under the Stars and Stripes of Austin, Texas. The Circuit of the Americas (COTA), a modern classic since joining the calendar in 2012, once again welcomed the world’s fastest drivers to its sweeping corners and dramatic elevation changes. As the 2025 F1 World Championship entered a defining period, teams faced an intriguing challenge: Pirelli’s tyre selection included a unique extra step between the Hard and the Medium-Soft compounds, which could set the stage for bold strategy calls and unpredictable racing on one of the sport’s most complete circuits.
The weekend’s action also carried extra weight, as Austin hosted the season’s fourth Sprint event of the season, adding another layer to an already pivotal moment in the championship fight. With the title battle tightening and every point more valuable than ever, fans would be hoping for a Texas showdown from Turn 1’s iconic climb to the high-speed esses of COTA.
Race Guide
Season: 2025 F1 World Championship
Race weekend: 17 October 2025 – 19 October 2025
Race date: Sunday, 19 October, 2025
Race start time: 14:00 local time
Circuit: Circuit of the Americas (COTA)
Laps: 56
Circuit length: 5.513km
2024 winner: Charles Leclerc
| Pole position | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | TBC | TBC | |
| Time | TBC | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver | TBC | TBC | |
| Time | TBC | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | TBC | TBC | |
| Second | TBC | TBC | |
| Third | TBC | TBC | |
The Circuit of the Americas stands as one of modern Formula 1’s most complete and technically demanding tracks, a 5.513-kilometre, anticlockwise rollercoaster of rhythm, precision, and aggression. Over 56 laps, drivers tackle 20 corners that pay homage to some of the sport’s most iconic layouts: the high-speed flow of Silverstone’s Maggots-Becketts, the sweeping curves of Suzuka, the tight technicality of Hockenheim, and a nod to Istanbul Park’s famous multi-apex Turn 8. Towering above it all is COTA’s signature feature, a 41-metre climb up to Turn 1, creating one of the most dramatic starts in Formula 1, where the cars fan out into a wide braking zone before plunging into the circuit’s first technical sector.
The track’s personality lies in its balance of speed and subtlety. Teams must find a set-up that delivers strong top-end performance down the long back straight while maintaining nimble, planted handling through the fast direction changes and complex middle sector. Tyre loading is split relatively evenly between the front and rear axles, but lateral forces dominate, particularly through the sweeping esses and high-speed transitions. Thermal degradation is the key challenge here, as the intense Texan heat, often hovering above 30°C, even in October, pushes tyres and cooling systems to their limits. The partial resurfacing carried out in 2024 made the circuit smoother and less punishing on suspensions, though COTA still demands a car that can dance over kerbs without losing traction. It’s a track that rewards adaptability, confidence, and rhythm, a circuit where small mistakes ripple into big consequences, and perfect laps feel almost musical.
COTA Stats
The United States Grand Prix is one of the cornerstone events of the Formula 1 calendar, and in 2025, it took its place as the second American round of the season, following Miami and preceding the glitz and spectacle of Las Vegas. Across its rich history, the race has toured through six different venues since the inaugural event in Sebring (1959), growing with the sport itself. From Riverside (1960) to Dallas (1984), the Detroit street circuit (1985–1988), Phoenix (1989–1991), and the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2000–2007), each location has added its own chapter to the U.S. F1 history story. But it’s Austin’s Circuit of the Americas, now hosting its 12th Grand Prix, that has become the modern home of Formula 1 in America, a circuit purpose-built for speed.
Historically, the crown for the most U.S. Grands Prix hosted still belongs to Watkins Glen, which welcomed the sport 20 times between 1961 and 1980, cementing its place as a classic venue of the past. When it comes to drivers, before the 2025 race, Lewis Hamilton stood as the dominant figure on American soil with six total wins. Five at COTA and one at Indianapolis, just one behind Michael Schumacher and his record of seven U.S. victories. The two greats were tied on four pole positions each. Hamilton also sealed two of his World Championships in Texas, in 2015 and 2019. Among the teams, Ferrari reigned supreme as the most successful constructor in America, with 11 wins spread across eras: two at Watkins Glen, five at Indianapolis, and four in Austin.
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 17 October 2025 | Free Practice 1 (FP1) | 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm local time |
| 17 October 2025 | Sprint Qualifying | 4:30 pm to 5:14 pm local time |
| 18 October 2025 | Sprint | 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm local time |
| 18 October 2025 | Qualifying | 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm local time |
| 19 October 2025 | Race | 2:00 pm local time |
In Friday Sprint qualifying…
In Saturday’s Sprint race…
In Saturday qualifying…
In Sunday’s race…
Championship background
The 2025 race kicked off a crucial stretch in the World Championship, starting the first leg of a fierce double-header with Mexico City and setting the tone for a November finale that includes Brazil and Las Vegas. This run of races across the Americas could prove decisive in shaping the outcome of this year’s Drivers’ Championship, as the title fight reignites following a dramatic and controversial race under the lights of Singapore last time out.
After the Marina Bay mayhem, Lando Norris had reduced Oscar Piastri’s championship lead to just 22 points, while Max Verstappen reignited his campaign, cutting his deficit to 63 points and signalling that Red Bull’s fightback wasn’t done yet. With the Sprint format returning at Austin, a maximum of 33 points was on offer, a golden opportunity for any of the leading trio to swing momentum their way. That meant every session, from qualifying to the main event, carried real championship weight.
Meanwhile, McLaren arrived in Austin celebrating their 2025 Constructors’ crown, sealed in record-equaling time, but also facing the delicate task of managing an increasingly tense intra-team rivalry. After Norris and Piastri made contact on lap one in Singapore, all eyes would be on how the team handled its dual title hopes without imploding under pressure. Mercedes’ George Russell, fresh from a commanding victory last time out, might think that about once again upsetting the front-runners, while Ferrari aimed to rediscover form at the very circuits that delivered their last two wins a year ago.
Race entries
The lineup of drivers and teams remained the same as the 2025 season’s entry list, apart from:
- A driver swap at the sister teams, Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls, where Yuki Tsunoda moved up to the parent Red Bull team and Liam Lawson headed in the opposite direction back to Racing Bulls, for round three at the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix.
- Jack Doohan stepping out of the race seat at Alpine (post Miami), beginning with the following round, the 2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. The team confirmed that former Williams and Alpine reserve driver, Franco Colapinto, would take his place alongside number one driver, Pierre Gasly.
Aside from these changes, all the drivers from the start of the season took to the track during FP1, FP2, FP3, Qualifying, and the Grand Prix.
Tyre choices
Tyre strategy would prove every bit as decisive as outright pace. Pirelli had opted for an unconventional selection once again, bringing three non-consecutive compounds to Austin: the C1 as Hard, C3 as Medium, and C4 as Soft. This was the second time in 2025 that this split had been used, following the experiment at Spa-Francorchamps, where rain prevented teams from gathering meaningful data. That made COTA the first real proving ground for this new approach, featuring a tougher Hard compound than last year, while the Medium and Soft remained unchanged.
On paper, the expanded performance gap between the C1 and C3 revealed multiple strategic approaches. A one-stop race could be the preferred option for those confident in managing tyre wear, pairing the durable C1 with the more versatile C3. However, the lure of outright pace may tempt others toward the faster, higher-risk C3–C4 combination, which would likely demand two stops due to the Soft’s shorter lifespan, even with its improved degradation profile. The challenge heightened by the Sprint weekend format left teams with just one hour of practice to assess wear, balance, and long-run performance. That limited window would make tyre understanding a bit of educated guesswork and the defining factor of the weekend.
Looking back to 2024, tyre management was already a delicate balance. Fifteen drivers, including all three podium finishers, started on the Mediums, while the rest gambled on the Hard C2. The Soft was largely ignored, making a brief cameo only in Esteban Ocon’s final-lap dash for fastest lap points. Most drivers opted for a one-stop race, though a few experimented with two stops or were forced into early changes. Despite initial graining concerns seen in the Sprint, race day offered better longevity thanks to cooler conditions and a mid-race Safety Car, proving that COTA rewards those who can adapt as the track evolves. In 2025, with new compounds, higher championship stakes, and less preparation time, strategy minds up and down the pit wall will be working overtime in Texas.
FIND OUT MORE
Free Practice
FP1 report post-session.
Free Practice 1 Classification
FP1 of the 2025 United States Grand Prix was held on 17 October 2025 from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm local time.
Sprint Qualifying
Full report post-session.
Full Qualifying Report
Sprint Qualifying Classification
Sprint Qualifying for the 2025 United States Grand Prix was held on 17 October 2025 from 4:30 pm to 5:14 pm local time.
2025 United States Grand Prix Sprint Starting Grid
The Sprint starting grid, with or without penalties, after the 2025 United States Grand Prix Sprint Qualifying session.
Sprint Race
Full report post-session.
Sprint Race Classification
The 2025 United States Grand Prix Sprint Race was held on 18 October 2025, at 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm local time.
Qualifying
Full report post-session.
Full Qualifying Report
Qualifying Classification
Qualifying for the 2025 United States Grand Prix was held on 18 October 2025 from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm local time.
2025 United States Grand Prix Starting Grid
The Grand Prix starting grid, with or without penalties, after the 2025 United States Grand Prix Qualifying session.
What happened in the 2025 United States Grand Prix?
Full race report post-session.
2025 United States Grand Prix race results
The 2025 United States Grand Prix Race was held on 19 October 2025 at 2:00 pm local time.
2025 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings
Championship standings for Drivers’ and Teams after the 2025 United States Grand Prix.
2025 Post-Race F1 Drivers’ Championship Standings
2025 Post-Race F1 Constructors’ Championship Standings
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