How to Watch the US Grand Prix in Australia: Antonelli's Title Shot in Austin

Kimi Antonelli arrives in Texas 102 points clear with six races left. A win in Austin, with the right results behind him, would make the 20 year old the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history.

The early start from Austin means the race lands on a Monday morning breakfast for most of the country, so here's when to set the alarm and where to watch it.

It is the latest chapter for a driver already among the youngest F1 drivers ever to line up on the grid.

US Grand Prix 2026 Date and Start Times in Australia

This is a standard weekend at the Circuit of the Americas, with three practice sessions, qualifying on Saturday and no sprint, because Singapore was the last sprint of 2026. 

Here are the key details:

• Event: Formula 1 United States Grand Prix 2026
• Circuit: Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas (5.513km, 56 laps)
• Practice 1: 4:30am AEDT, Saturday 24 October
• Practice 2: 8:00am AEDT, Saturday 24 October
• Practice 3: 4:30am AEDT, Sunday 25 October
• Qualifying: 8:00am AEDT, Sunday 25 October
• Race: 7:00am AEDT, Monday 26 October (3pm Sunday in Austin)

Those times are for Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Hobart. For lights out on Monday morning elsewhere in the country, use these:

• Brisbane: 6:00am AEST
• Adelaide: 6:30am ACDT
• Darwin: 5:30am ACST
• Perth: 4:00am AWST

Qualifying is the friendliest session of the weekend, landing at 8am on Sunday on the east coast, which is coffee and toast territory rather than a 3am alarm.

Where to Watch the US Grand Prix in Australia

Fox Sports holds the Formula 1 rights in Australia and signed a fresh multi-year extension in March 2026, so every practice, qualifying session and race from Austin is live through Kayo Sports and Foxtel.

The racing is shown ad-break free, so you won't miss an overtake into turn one while an ad plays.

• Kayo Sports: Streams every session live and on demand on phones, tablets, smart TVs and the web, with races in 4K on the Premium plan.
• Foxtel: Fox Sports is available with the Sports pack on a set top box, the Foxtel Go app or Foxtel Now. The F1 TV app is also built into Foxtel boxes for extra feeds.
• Free to air: Network 10 only shows the Australian Grand Prix live, so Austin is on pay TV only. Ten has run highlight packages of other rounds after the race weekend.

Fox Sports holds the exclusive live rights, so Kayo or Foxtel is the way in. Check both for current plans and pricing before the weekend, and if a Monday 7am start clashes with work, the full race replay is on Kayo straight afterwards.

The F1 2026 calendar has every round left on the run home.

US Grand Prix Championship Picture: Antonelli Closes In

Antonelli leads on 340 points after Singapore, with Mercedes team mate George Russell second on 238, Lewis Hamilton third on 229, Max Verstappen fourth on 221 and Charles Leclerc fifth on 215.

To win the title in Austin, Antonelli has to win the race with Russell finishing ninth or lower and Hamilton fifth or lower.

Any other combination sends the fight on to Mexico City. If you're unsure how the math works, our guide to the F1 points system runs through it.

Verstappen is the in-form driver, having won from pole in Singapore off the back of his win at Sepang, and he also won this race last year.

Russell recovered from the back of the grid to ninth at Marina Bay after an engine penalty, and there's talk of Mercedes bringing an engine upgrade that could cost grid places, so keep an eye on the penalties after Friday.

With this title race live, it is worth seeing where the current contenders sit against who has won the most F1 titles.

Oscar Piastri at the US Grand Prix

Oscar Piastri sits seventh on 138 points and is still chasing his first win of 2026, a tough run after leading the championship for so long in 2025.

He finished fifth in Singapore, passing Hamilton on the final lap despite a slow puncture, and admitted that fifth was the most McLaren could get that day.

Austin hasn't been kind to him in the past. He finished fifth in both 2024 and 2025, and the low grip surface has troubled him before, so a podium would be a strong result for the Aussie this weekend.

US Grand Prix Betting Markets at Sportsbet

Sportsbet has the race winner, qualifying winner, top three, top six and top ten finish markets up for Austin, along with a safety car market, and Verstappen is currently the favourite to win the race.

Antonelli's title chances mean the championship markets are worth following too, including a drivers' championship without Antonelli for punters who want a bet on the rest of the field.

If you're new to F1 markets, our guide on how to bet on F1 explains the main bet types.

For the latest United States Grand Prix odds and markets, check out our dedicated US Grand Prix odds page here at Sportsbet.

US Grand Prix in Australia FAQ

What time does the US Grand Prix start in Australia?

Lights out is 7am AEDT on Monday 26 October 2026, which is 3pm on Sunday in Austin.

What channel is the US Grand Prix on in Australia?

Fox Sports has it live, streaming on Kayo Sports and on Foxtel. There's no live free to air coverage.

Is the 2026 US Grand Prix a sprint weekend?

No. Austin runs the standard format this year, with three practice sessions, qualifying and the Grand Prix.