Apple TV has announced a landmark five-year deal to become the exclusive F1 broadcaster in the United States. The tech giant will take over the rights from ESPN, which has been broadcasting F1 since 2018. Coming in at an estimated $150m, this latest deal is more expensive than the estimated $90m deal under ESPN, reflecting the current uptick in F1 interest in the American market. It also marks an interesting shift from traditional TV broadcasting to streaming. For American fans, this means the end of F1 TV, with the service set to be included for all Apple TV subscribers at no extra cost in 2026. F1 TV won’t be impacted in other regions.
Organizers have signed a deal to extend the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas until 2034. COTA is the circuit that revived the United States Grand Prix when it hosted its first race in 2012, four years after the last race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It will become the longest host of the US Grand Prix, surpassing Watkins Glen. Up until the Miami Grand Prix made its debut in 2021, it was the only American race on the calendar, although F1 now hosts three races in the country. Formula One has seen a huge uptick in popularity within the American market.
Mercedes confirmed it will retain its current driver lineup for 2026. This silences all rumours of a driver change, particularly surrounding George Russell. Russell has been with the team since 2022, joining just after a regulation change brought an end to the dominance enjoyed by the team since 2014. Nevertheless, he has secured four victories with the team. He has been partnered with rookie Kimi Antonelli, who replaced Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton this season. The 19-year-old had a strong rookie campaign out of the gate, becoming the youngest driver to lead a race and the youngest to set a fastest lap. The mid-season saw a slump in performance, although he still managed to win his debut podium in Canada. Mercedes has seen a slight improvement in form this season, but with major regulation changes coming in 2026, it could be anyone’s race next season.
Ferrari chairman John Elkann issued a statement fully supporting Fred Vasseur, seemingly dispelling replacement rumours. Since the high-profile departure of Christian Horner from his Red Bull tenure, rumours have been swirling about which team Horner could move to next. Ferrari has been near the top of the list, as the team continues to push for a return to its glory years. “I want to express our full confidence in our Team Principal, Fred Vasseur, and in the work he is carrying out together with all our colleagues at Scuderia Ferrari,” Elkann explained in a statement to the media. “I also want to reaffirm the importance of teamwork by everyone to maintain focus on the only goal that matters: always giving our very best on the track.”
Lando Norris led the way in the one-and-only free practice session at the start of the United States Grand Prix on Friday. It was a busy session, with teams rushing to complete an abridged practice programme. There was only one red flag, thrown to clear debris after Lance Stroll ran wide at turn 19. It was not an ideal session for Carlos Sainz, who spent much of the session trapped in the garage with a gearbox issue. Charles Leclerc also had his running reduced after reporting the smell of oil in the cockpit. Max Verstappen set the early pace, but Fernando Alonso briefly beat it before having his own time bested by Norris. Nico Hulkenberg impressed with a time worthy of P2 on the leaderboard.
Max Verstappen earned pole position for the sprint race in sprint qualifying on Friday afternoon. Lando Norris appeared to be the driver to beat, topping both SQ1 and SQ2, but lost out on pole by 0.071s. The end of SQ1 saw multiple drivers misjudge the timing for the final laps, failing to cross the line before the session ended, and being eliminated from the session. Nico Hulkenberg impressed yet again to earn a P4 starting position alongside Oscar Piastri. Fernando Alonso also had a strong showing to put himself in P6 behind George Russell. Ferrari had a lacklustre session down in P8 and P10, appearing to struggle to find pace at the Circuit of the Americas.
Max Verstappen converted his sprint pole into a sprint victory, being mostly uncontested. His main competition – the two McLarens – both failed to make it past the first corner. Lando Norris had a slow start, putting Oscar Piastri alongside him into the first corner. Piastri attempted to perform the switchback on his teammate but ran into Nico Hulkenberg, who was being pressured by Fernando Alonso on the inside. Piastri collected his teammate in the crash. After a safety car period to clear debris, Verstappen briefly faced a challenge from George Russell, who tried a brave lunge into turn 12 but locked up. This left Verstappen to run away with the lead of the race, which ended under a safety are after Lance Stroll collided with Esteban Ocon when trying to make an optimistic divebomb. Click here to read a more details summary of the sprint race.
Max Verstappen continued his string of success, claiming pole position for the main race. The Dutchman led all three qualifying sessions, despite mistiming his final run in Q3, failing to cross the line in time. There was drama in the opening minutes of Q1 as Isack Hadjar crashed heavily through the sweepers section, having lost control of his Racing Bulls car. Lando Norris set a time fast enough for a front-row start, hoping to recover from his crash in the sprint race. Ferrari had a much better showing in qualifying after an equally strong sprint race, slotting in P3 and P5, sandwiching George Russell. Championship leader Oscar Piastri had a relatively disappointing performance, managing only P6.
Max Verstappen again found himself on top again at the end of the 56-lap main event on Sunday, leading from lights to flag. Verstappen was never under pressure, as Lando Norris dropped behind Charles Leclerc at the first corner. The Monegasque driver started the race on the quicker soft tyres, but their performance rapidly declined. Norris was stuck behind the Ferrari for many laps, allowing Verstappen to cruise off into the distance. After the pit stops, Norris was again behind Leclerc, but this time on the soft tyres when Leclerc had the slower mediums. Norris used a dive bomb into turn 12 to overtake into P2. Finishing in P5, Oscar Piastri’s lead in the championship was reduced, with both Norris and Verstappen gaining ground. Verstappen now looks like a more serious contender for the championship, despite having been more than a hundred points away earlier in the season. Click here to read a full summary of the race.
Red Bull was fined €50,000 when a team member walked onto the grid after the formation lap started. The team member entered the area as the pit marshals attempted to close the gates. Despite trying to stop him from entering, the team member was, reportedly, unaware of this. Even though the team member was unaware of attempts to stop them from entering the circuit, the FIA stated that team members “should be aware that entering the track or hindering the safety measures to prepare the track for the race after the grid has been cleared is absolutely prohibited.” The FIA deemed this incident as an “unsafe act” warranting a significant fine. Half of the fine has been suspended, meaning Red Bull won’t have to pay that portion if they do not perform a similar violation before the end of the season.
Formula One will stay in North America for next week, this time heading to Mexico for the Mexico City Grand Prix on October 26.
It can be challenging for even the most avid fans to keep up with the fast-paced world of Formula One. The Weekly F1 Recap is a series published each Monday that breaks down the action, both on and off the circuit, into bit-sized pieces. It's perfect for casual and experienced fans alike.
