2026 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix Set to Boost Austin Tourism and Economy
The 2026 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix runs October 23–25 at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m. local time, followed by the main race Sunday at 3 p.m. The event is round 18 of the championship and will use a conventional Grand Prix format, without an F1 Sprint. Drivers will race 56 laps of the 5.513-kilometre circuit, covering about 308.4 kilometres. Its 20 corners include an uphill approach to Turn 1. F1 Academy, Porsche Carrera Cup North America and historic racing activities are also planned for the weekend. The Austin race has drawn more than 400,000 cumulative spectator visits per weekend in recent years. Attendance peaked at approximately 440,000 in 2022 and remained above 400,000 through 2025, according to the source figures. Those crowds bring business to Austin hotels, restaurants and transport operators; the source provides no estimate of the 2026 event’s economic impact. The 2026 championship features 22 drivers across 11 teams, including Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc. Cadillac’s debut season, with Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas, may draw additional North American interest. Formula 1 has agreed to keep the Austin Grand Prix on its calendar through 2034.
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