How to follow United States Grand Prix on the BBC

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How to follow United States Grand Prix on the BBC

October 13, 2025

The Texas Longhorns band, wearing shirts with 'Texas' on the back and cowboy hats, on the track before the United States Grand Prix in 2024 — The United States Grand Prix is the fourth sprint weekend of the season [Getty Images]

Round 19 of the 2025 Formula 1 season heads to the Circuit of the Americas for the United States Grand Prix – which is also a sprint weekend – from 17-19 October.

Championship leader Oscar Piastri, who finished fourth in Singapore, is ahead of Lando Norris by 22 points in the title race with six grands prix remaining after their first-lap battle for third place last time out.

Max Verstappen, who was runner-up at Marina Bay, is third in the standings, 63 points off Piastri and 41 points behind second-placed Norris.

Sunday’s 56-lap race in Austin, Texas, starts at 20:00 BST.

Session start times and BBC coverage

Commentary of the race will be on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds, the BBC Sport website and app and most smart speakers.

Make sure to download the Chequered Flag podcast, which previews and reviews every race of the season.

All times BST

Friday, 17 October

First practice: 18:30-19:30 (Sports Extra 2 via BBC Sounds and smart speakers)

Sprint qualifying: 22:30-23:14 (Sports Extra 2 via BBC Sounds and smart speakers)

Saturday, 18 October

Sprint: 18:00-18:30 (Sports Extra 2 via BBC Sounds and smart speakers)

Qualfying: 22:00-23:00 (BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds and smart speakers)

Sunday, 19 October

Race: 20:00 (BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds and smart speakers with build-up from 19:30)

What is the Austin weather forecast?

The early forecast in Austin looks fine and dry across the all three days of track running, with temperatures reaching highs of 34C.

Sunday’s race, which starts at 2pm local time, is set for bright sunshine and clear.

How does the F1 sprint race work?

Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen on track during the Belgium GP sprint race in July — Red Bull’s Max Verstappen held off the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris to win a tense sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix in July [Getty Images]

Sprint qualifying has three sessions, where the five slowest cars are eliminated from the first two – like normal qualifying.

These sessions, known as SQ1, SQ2 and SQ3, last 12, 10 and eight minutes respectively.

This will make up the grid for the sprint race, which is 100km.

The top eight finishers score points, from eight for first place to one for eighth spot, which will get added to the overall drivers’ championship standings.

After Austin, the final two sprint events of the season take place in Brazil and Qatar.

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