Just as intense is the battle for fourth: Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, and a series of upgrades have helped turn the tide of McLaren’s season. It now sits just eleven points adrift of Aston Martin, which began the season with a series of podiums for Fernando Alonso, but has since dipped, leaving its star driver frustrated and team-mate Lance Stroll has become more unhappy over his general lack of pace. If McLaren can replicate its results from Qatar — a double podium finish during the sprint and GP — it could go a long way in securing its highest finishing position in the constructors’ standings since 2020.
Further headlines created by the potential return of Daniel Ricciardo, the performance of Sergio Perez and the question mark that still remains over Williams‘ final empty seat for 2024, means the 2023 US Grand Prix will certainly be one to watch. Here’s how you can catch all the action:
F1 live stream and TV schedule
All times in BST
| Qualifying Friday 20 October |
Sprint Saturday 21 October |
US Grand Prix Sunday 22 October |
|
| Session start time | 10pm | Sprint Shootout — 6.30pm Sprint race — 11pm |
8pm |
| Live coverage Sky Sports, Sky Go, NowTV |
9.30pm | Sprint Shootout — 6pm Sprint race — 10pm |
6.30pm |
| Highlights Channel 4 |
Sprint and qualifying — 8am Grand Prix — 12.30am (Monday) |
How to watch F1: live stream and TV details for 2023 United States Grand Prix
A back-to-back sprint race weekend once again sees competitive action every day at COTA.
The weekend begins with one practice session on Friday, followed by qualifying for the grand prix. Sprint qualifying takes place ahead of the race on Saturday and the weekend concludes with a 56-lap Grand Prix on Sunday.
Live TV: All sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 starting with Free Practice 1 on Friday at 6.30pm.
Live stream: Sky Sports F1 subscribers in the UK can watch all the running live on the Sky Go app. Now TV subscribers can also see live coverage of every session via Sky Sports F1. Live timings are available through the F1 app.
Highlights: Channel 4 will show highlights of the weekend, with action from both qualifying sessions and the sprint on Sunday morning due to the time difference. US GP highlights will then be shown during the early hours of Monday morning.
US GP circuit and details
Widely renowned as a demanding circuit for driver and machinery, the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) is effectively a pick-and-mix of some of the greatest circuits in the world all under one roof.
The climb up to Turn 1 is unique to the venue, but the majority of Sector 1 is made up of a series of high-speed curves, similar to the Maggotts and Becketts complex at Silverstone and the Esses at Suzuka. In sector three, the tight and twisty technical section is likened to Hockenheim‘s series of stadium corners, which offers high-risk yet high-reward opportunities to overtake.
The 5.5km circuit includes two DRS zones, found on both the pit straight and on the 1.1km back straight. At the end of each are tight hairpin corners, which often entice drivers into braking later in an attempt to dive down the inside of opponents ahead.
The climb to Turn 1 can be daunting but can also provide early overtaking opportunities
Red Bull
2022’s visit to COTA produced several scintillating on-track battles. With just twenty laps remaining, Verstappen and Leclerc battled for position throughout sector one before the Dutchman finally sealed the deal heading into sector three. Ten laps later, the champion-to-be then dispatched Hamilton’s Mercedes with an identical move at Turn 12 before racing into the distance and sealing his thirteenth win of the season.
After such a physically exhausting race at Losail, drivers may have been hoping for a spot of rain in Austin, Texas. But this weekend is set to be another scorcher, with on-track temperatures set to peak at 33C during ‘Sprint Saturday’ and 32C for the GP.
