The United States Grand Prix returns to the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, from October 22-25, 2026, with a new fourth day added to the schedule for the first time since the race joined the F1 calendar in 2012. This year's race weekend drops the Sprint format used in 2025 and reverts to the conventional three-practice-session structure, alongside a headline concert lineup featuring Maroon 5, Post Malone, and Alesso at the trackside Germania Insurance Amphitheater.
GOAL has everything you need to plan your trip, including the full session schedule, where tickets are being sold, the current price range, and how to find the cheapest way in.
When is the United States Grand Prix 2026?
| Date & Time | Event | Location | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 22 Oct | Grand Prix View (F1 Academy, pit lane walk, fan villages) | Circuit of the Americas, Austin | Tickets |
| Fri 23 Oct, 12:30 pm | Free Practice 1 | Circuit of the Americas, Austin | Tickets |
| Fri 23 Oct, 4 pm | Free Practice 2 | Circuit of the Americas, Austin | Tickets |
| Sat 24 Oct, 12:30 pm | Free Practice 3 | Circuit of the Americas, Austin | Tickets |
| Sat 24 Oct, 4 pm | Qualifying | Circuit of the Americas, Austin | Tickets |
| Sun 25 Oct, 3 pm | United States Grand Prix (56 laps) | Circuit of the Americas, Austin | Tickets |
All times are local to Austin, Central Time. There is no Sprint session in 2026, so Saturday's schedule is built around a single practice and qualifying session rather than a Sprint race and Sprint Qualifying.
Where to buy United States Grand Prix 2026 tickets?
Tickets for the 2026 race are sold first through the official Circuit of the Americas website, which is the place to go for face value pricing on single-day tickets, three-day General Admission grounds passes and grandstand seating. Tickets are on sale now, and buying directly is generally the cheapest route while stock in your preferred category remains available.
Once a session or seating category sells out officially, or if you are buying closer to race week, the secondary market is where most fans turn next. StubHub lists tickets across the full weekend, including race day, qualifying and the practice sessions, with every purchase covered by the platform's FanProtect guarantee, meaning tickets are checked as valid and buyers are refunded if the event is cancelled and not rescheduled.
A few things worth knowing about buying on the secondary market:
- Prices reflect demand rather than face value, so they can run higher than the original box office price, particularly for race day and the more popular grandstands.
- Listings come from fans and brokers reselling tickets they no longer need, which can be useful for grabbing a seat in a category that has already sold out officially.
- It is a straightforward option for fans travelling from outside the US who would rather not set up a separate account with the circuit's own ticketing system.
How much are United States Grand Prix 2026 tickets?
Prices vary widely depending on the day, the ticket type and how far out you buy:
- Cheapest official ticket: the new Thursday Grand PrixView day starts from around 20 dollars, giving budget minded fans a way into the circuit even without a ticket for the main three day weekend.
- Single-day tickets: official single-day passes for Friday, Saturday or Sunday start from around 109 dollars, with other single-day tiers priced higher depending on the grandstand or viewing area.
- Three-day General Admission: a standard Friday to Sunday grounds pass, which gives access to standing and hill viewing areas around the track without reserved seating, starts from around 250 dollars.
- Secondary market: resale tickets on the open market currently start from around 55 to 60 dollars for the cheapest available sessions, with prices climbing well beyond that for race day and premium grandstand seats.
Budget tip: General Admission remains the best value way to experience the full weekend, and the new Thursday Grand PrixView day is the cheapest single ticket on sale for 2026. Buying as early as possible, whether through the official site or on the secondary market, is the surest way to avoid paying a premium as race week approaches.
Everything you need to know about the United States Grand Prix
The United States Grand Prix returned to the Formula 1 calendar at COTA in 2012 after a four year absence from the sport in America, and it has grown into one of the most attended races on the entire calendar, with the 2022 edition drawing a reported 440,000 fans across the three days. Beyond the racing, the Grand Prix has become known for its trackside concert programme, with major headline acts performing across the weekend at the Germania Insurance Amphitheater, turning the event into as much a music festival as a motorsport weekend.
For 2026, the race weekend expands to four days for the first time, with the new Grand PrixView day on Thursday giving fans an early look at the paddock, a pit lane walk and on-track action from F1 Academy, the all female support series. The main event then unfolds across Friday practice, Saturday qualifying and Sunday's 56 lap Grand Prix, run without the Sprint format that featured in the 2025 edition.
Everything you need to know about the Circuit of the Americas
The Circuit of the Americas is a 3.426 mile, 20 turn circuit in Austin, Texas, designed by Hermann Tilke and opened in October 2012 specifically to bring Formula 1 back to the United States. Its most famous feature is Turn 1, which climbs 133 feet before dropping away into a fast, flowing sequence of corners inspired by circuits including Silverstone and Hockenheim. The track runs counter-clockwise, one of only a handful on the current F1 calendar, which adds an extra physical challenge for drivers used to running the opposite way around most circuits.
The circuit's 251 foot observation tower is the venue's most recognisable landmark, offering panoramic views over the track and the Austin skyline from a platform reached by lift or a 419 step staircase. The Main Grandstand holds around 9,000 fans across its lower stands, loge boxes and suites, while the wider circuit, including its General Admission hills and the Grand Plaza, can accommodate a raceday crowd of up to 120,000. With a new four day format, a stacked concert lineup and a title fight still to be settled, this year's race is shaping up to be one of the standout weekends on the 2026 calendar, so check ticket availability now to secure your place at COTA.