F1 has turned its sprint race into a standalone Saturday event, with sprint qualifying deciding the starting grid followed by the sprint race later in the day. Here’s how the latest sprint race format changes will work.
During qualifying for Sunday’s grand prix, Charles Leclerc grabbed pole position for Ferrari while Max Verstappen saw his fastest lap in Q3 deleted for exceeding track limits which ultimately dropped the Red Bull driver to sixth place.
That also enabled Lando Norris to jump onto the front row for McLaren, beating Lewis Hamilton in third for Mercedes, with Carlos Sainz fourth and George Russell fifth.
Behind Verstappen is the pair of Alpine drivers, with Pierre Gasly seventh and Esteban Ocon eighth, as Sergio Perez underwhelmed in ninth for Red Bull while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri completed the top 10.
It was a nightmare qualifying for Aston Martin as both of its drivers were knocked out in Q1, with Fernando Alonso 17th and Lance Stroll 19th respectively.
What time does sprint qualifying start for the F1 United States Grand Prix?
Sprint qualifying for the United States GP starts at 12:30pm local time (6:30pm BST), using a shorter version of the traditional Q1, Q2 and Q3 knockout session format.
Date: Saturday 21 October 2023
Start time: 12:30pm local time – 6:30pm BST
What time does the sprint race start for the F1 United States Grand Prix?
The sprint race for the United States GP starts at 5:00pm local time (11:00pm BST), covering a distance of 19 laps or 60 minutes.
Date: Saturday 21 October 2023
Start time: 5:00pm local time – 11:00pm BST
How can I watch Formula 1?
In the United Kingdom Formula 1 is broadcast live on Sky Sports, with highlights shown on Channel 4 several hours after the race has finished. Live streaming through NOW is also available in the UK.
Sky Sports F1, which broadcasts the F1 races, can be added as part of the Sky Sports channels which costs £24 a month for new customers. Sky Sports can also be accessed through NOW with a one-off day payment of £11.98p or a month membership of £34.99p per month.
How can I watch F1 United States GP sprint qualifying and the sprint race?
In the United Kingdom every F1 practice, qualifying and race is broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event, with United States GP sprint qualifying coverage starting at 6:00pm BST on Sky Sports F1, and sprint race coverage starting at 10:00pm BST on Sky Sports F1.
- Channel: Sky Sports F1
- Start time – Sprint Qualifying: 6:00pm BST Saturday 21 October 2023
- Start time – Sprint Race: 10:00pm BST Saturday 21 October 2023
Autosport will be running a live text coverage of sprint qualifying and the sprint race here.
When can I watch the highlights of F1 United States GP sprint qualifying and the sprint race?
In the United Kingdom Channel 4 is broadcasting highlights of sprint qualifying and the sprint race for the United States GP at 8:00am BST on Sunday morning. The full programme will run for 90 minutes, covering both sprint qualifying and the sprint race and wrapping up the major talking points of the race weekend so far.
For the entire 2023 F1 season, Channel 4 will broadcast highlights of every qualifying and race of each event. The highlights will also be available on Channel 4’s on demand catch up services.
- Channel: Channel 4
- Start time: 8:00am BST Sunday 22 October 2023
Will F1 United States GP sprint qualifying and the sprint race be on the radio?
Live radio coverage of every practice, qualifying and race for the 2023 F1 season will be available on the BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC 5 Live Sports Extra or via the BBC Sport website.
Coverage of United States GP sprint qualifying will start at 6:30pm BST on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and the BBC Sounds app.
Coverage of the United States GP sprint race will start at 11:00pm BST on the BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and the BBC Sounds app.
What's the weather forecast for sprint qualifying and the sprint race at the Circuit of the Americas?
Hot and dry conditions with a low chance of rain is forecast for all of Saturday in Austin. The temperature is set to reach highs of 33 degrees Celsius at the start of the sprint race.
