Formula 1 is back in Austin this weekend for Round 18 of the 2026 season, and for the first time this year the drivers' title can be settled. Kimi Antonelli has been the story of the season, and the Circuit of The Americas gives him his first shot at closing it out. Here is how the maths works, who else matters, and when to watch from India.
What Antonelli needs
Antonelli leads Mercedes team-mate George Russell by 102 points with six rounds left and 150 points still available. Formula 1's own reading is that he can end the fight in Austin if he leaves the weekend 125 points or more clear of his nearest rival (Formula 1).
The simple version is that he has to win the race. Anything less and the celebrations wait at least another week. If he does win, Russell must finish ninth or lower, and Lewis Hamilton, who is third in the standings, must finish no higher than fifth (Formula 1). All of that has to line up on one afternoon, so it is a long shot. If it does happen, motorsport.com notes he would be champion with five rounds to spare, one short of the record Michael Schumacher set in 2002 (motorsport.com).
Why Verstappen is worth watching
Max Verstappen is fourth in the championship, 119 points behind, so his own title hopes are nearly gone. He is still the form driver of the moment. He won the last two races and also took the Singapore Sprint, and Formula 1 says he was just seven points from a maximum score across the last triple header. Antonelli himself called a closer Verstappen "very, very scary". In Austin, Verstappen needs Antonelli to be outscored by six points or more to stay mathematically alive (Formula 1). He also won here last year.
Where Mercedes stand
Antonelli finished third in Singapore after moving up from fourth when Hamilton and Lando Norris collided in a late fight. He said the car package is finally showing "the light at the end of the tunnel", though he also admitted he struggled on the medium tyre. Russell went back to an older car package that weekend and still recovered to ninth from the back of the grid (Formula 1).
Session times in IST
The race weekend runs 23 to 25 October at the Circuit of The Americas. Our times are converted from the local Austin times that Formula 1 lists: Practice 1 on Friday 23 October at 11:00 PM IST, Practice 2 on Saturday at 2:30 AM, Practice 3 on Saturday at 11:00 PM, Qualifying on Sunday 25 October at 2:30 AM and the race on Monday 26 October at 1:30 AM IST. Because the race is on Sunday afternoon in Texas, it falls in the early hours of Monday for viewers in India. The full list sits on our Schedule page, and the Formula 1 page has the standings. Times can change, so check the official Formula 1 schedule before you set an alarm.
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