Key Winners and Losers at the 2026 United States Grand Prix

Kimi Antonelli's ninth win of the season brought him closer than ever to his first World Championship, leaving little doubt he'll make history next Sunday in Mexico. Starting on the medium tyre, Antonelli managed to hold off early pressure and controlled the race with a one-stop strategy, according to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. Despite tough strategic moves by rivals, the 20-year-old remained composed throughout. His impressive comeback victory in Monza earlier this year had already won the hearts of Ferrari fans, but now many Silver Arrow supporters are also cheering him on.

With Lewis Hamilton and George Russell both needing impossible results in Mexico to catch Antonelli, even a single point in the final race will secure his title, making him F1's youngest champion by three years, surpassing Sebastian Vettel. Mercedes has prepared for celebrations in Mexico City, where the drinking age is lower, perhaps making for a livelier party.

George Russell’s Struggles Continue

George Russell's recent performances have hit a low point, despite evidence that he isn't far behind Antonelli in speed. One possible factor is the Mercedes W17 upgrade introduced in Malaysia, which improved overall pace but made the car harder to handle consistently. Russell appears more affected by these changes than his teammate, struggling to find the right setup and spending much of the race stuck behind slower drivers like Oscar Piastri.

"Six good laps, 50 bad laps. I want to understand why the pace was so bad on the first stint," Russell said after finishing eighth.

He admitted the narrow setup window might explain his lack of speed but emphasized the need to work closely with his team to improve before the off-season. At this point, it looks likely Russell will drop behind Hamilton in the championship standings.

Charles Leclerc Shows No Hesitation

After criticism for a cautious move in Singapore, Charles Leclerc wasted no time in Austin. He boldly overtook Max Verstappen around the outside in the first sector, a thrilling move that paid off again later in the race thanks to better tyre management. Leclerc’s stronger race performance offset a qualifying session that didn’t go as planned, and he finished ahead of Verstappen.

"Yeah, that was fun," Leclerc said. "I didn’t really know how it would go. It was quite close, but it was fun."

Isack Hadjar’s Race Unravels

Isack Hadjar impressed with a strong qualifying, but his race deteriorated quickly due to a clutch overdelivery issue at the start and poor radio communication. Forced onto the hard tyre unexpectedly, he lost significant pace and positions, slipping from third on the grid to finish sixth. His frustration came through over the radio, reminding some of his fiery nature seen in F2.

"The pace was good today, that’s the hard part of it," Hadjar said. "We nailed it. And all the little, stupid things we can’t. We need to nail them as well."

Liam Lawson Shines for Racing Bulls

Liam Lawson turned in a solid performance, helping extend Racing Bulls’ streak of points finishes to six straight races. Finishing ninth at COTA, Lawson helped his team stay ahead of Alpine and Audi in the constructors’ standings. With 102 points, Racing Bulls leads Alpine by 33 points, closing in on their best-ever championship result. Alpine will need a major effort at the Brazilian Grand Prix to change the tide.

McLaren Faces Tough Times

Lando Norris expressed visible frustration near the race’s end as McLaren continues to fall behind the top teams. From having one of the fastest cars for two seasons, they now find themselves fourth fastest. Norris gambled with strategy to hold onto fifth place on worn tyres but saw limited reward.

Despite the disappointment, Norris remains hopeful, believing a better qualifying lap could have placed him on the front row. His teammate Oscar Piastri continues to struggle with the new car, showing little improvement at Austin, a track that was difficult for him last year as well. Mexico’s demanding conditions may present another challenge for the Australian driver.

Race Highlights Recap

• Kimi Antonelli: Winner, nearly clinched the world title.
• George Russell: Finished 8th, struggling with car setup.
• Charles Leclerc: Strong overtakes on Max Verstappen, solid race performance.
• Isack Hadjar: Qualified 3rd, finished 6th due to technical and communication issues.
• Liam Lawson: Finished 9th, extended Racing Bulls’ points streak.
• Lando Norris: Fifth place with visible frustration over team performance.
• Oscar Piastri: Continued struggles with the 2026 McLaren car.