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Formula 1 heads to Austin, Texas, this weekend for the United States Grand Prix — and it promises to be a busy one. The Circuit of the Americas (COTA) will host a Sprint weekend, meaning the schedule looks quite different from a traditional Grand Prix. With qualifying, sprint sessions, and the race itself spread across late-night hours for European fans, it’s shaping up to be a test of endurance both on and off the track.
A late-night weekend for European viewers
After a series of Europe-friendly races in recent months, Formula 1 returns to a time zone that will keep fans up well past midnight. The weekend kicks off on Friday, October 17, with the first and only practice session followed by the Sprint Shootout. The latter doesn’t wrap up until around 12:14 a.m. (Dutch time) — turning the opening day into an all-nighter for viewers across Europe.
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On Saturday, October 18, the Sprint race begins at 7:00 p.m., followed by the traditional qualifying session starting at 11:00 p.m. and finishing around midnight. The main event — the United States Grand Prix — gets underway on Sunday, October 19 at 9:00 p.m. (Dutch time). If safety cars or incidents stretch the race, it could easily run deep into the night.
Full Dutch-time schedule
Friday, October 17
● Free Practice 1: 19:30 – 20:30
● Sprint Qualifying: 23:30 – 00:14
Saturday, October 18
● Sprint Race: 19:00 – 19:30
● Qualifying: 23:00 – 00:00
Sunday, October 19
● United States Grand Prix: 21:00
How to watch the U.S. Grand Prix
In the Netherlands, Formula 1 is available via Viaplay and F1 TV, both paid streaming services. For many Dutch fans, free options are limited this weekend. German broadcaster RTL, which holds a sublicence to air selected races, will not be showing qualifying, the
sprint, or the main race live from Austin. That means viewers hoping to watch the action without a subscription will have to sit this one out.
With its thrilling layout and passionate fans, COTA is set to deliver another spectacular weekend — but European supporters will need coffee, patience, and dedication to keep up with every lap under the Texan night sky.
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