Loading Experience...
Preparing your Formula Dream journey
The 2026 United States Grand Prix on the radio: Mercedes telling Antonelli to go long on one stop, Red Bull telling Hadjar to let Verstappen by, Hamilton's target lap times for a podium, and Russell's seat getting too hot in qualifying.
Kimi Antonelli won the 2026 United States Grand Prix on one stop while the three cars behind him stopped twice. The radio shows how the plan was made, and how Red Bull managed its own two cars.
Our archive holds 91 broadcast messages from the Austin weekend, 36 of them from the race. Every one, with the audio and a transcript coloured by who is speaking, is on the United States Grand Prix 2026 radio page. The race itself is in our
Antonelli took pole by 0.179 seconds from Max Verstappen, his first pole since Spa, and sounded relieved:
"Yeah, mate. Feels good. Thank you. Thank you, everyone." George Russell, who qualified sixth, had a different problem in the car:
"My seats get very, very hot on my back." "Okay, copy that. We'll take a look," his engineer replied. The rookie Arvid Lindblad got through to the top ten and celebrated like it:
"Are we through?" When his engineer confirmed it: "Aha, come on, well done boys. Thank you."
Verstappen, Hamilton and Leclerc all stopped early, on laps 13, 14 and 15. Mercedes left Antonelli out until lap 24, and told him why:
"It's a good pace, Kimmy. Just keep it up. Just go as long as you can." Those three cars all had to stop again. Antonelli did not.
Isack Hadjar started third and was running ahead of his team mate on a longer first stint when the call came:
"OK, I think let Max pass into turn 12". He did, and finished sixth. Verstappen took third. Hadjar's season, from a broken wrist to points in every race since, is in Isack Hadjar's 2026.
On fresher tyres after his second stop, Lewis Hamilton was given a target:
"12 seconds to Norris, we need 38.5 and we are catching also Max, we are fighting the podium with 38.5". He caught and passed Lando Norris, whose one-stop plan was falling apart on a flat-spotted tyre:
"OK, so we think we're going to stay out, Hamilton likely will come through anyway". Hamilton ran out of laps behind Verstappen and finished fourth, 1.030 seconds off the podium.
Franco Colapinto's Alpine was called in with damage from contact with Lindblad:
"Okay Franco, we need to box the car to retire. Box, box to retire. Sorry mate. Not what I expected." Valtteri Bottas's Cadillac followed later:
"Sounds really bad, I think we're doing damage."
"nice work Kimi, that was a beautiful drive mate, awesome job by strategy, perfectly executed race, well done mate". And Antonelli, a minute later:
"good job everyone that's the result we needed thank you so much and let's keep pushing". A week later in Mexico City he was champion. That story is in Kimi Antonelli is the 2026 F1 world champion, and the Mexico weekend's radio in Mexico City GP 2026 team radio.
These are the messages the world feed broadcast, not everything said between drivers and engineers. Radio before a session starts is never captured.
Quotes are verbatim from our transcripts, attributed using the speaker label on each line, and quoted only where the label and the words agree.
The Formula Dream app plays driver radio as it is broadcast, with the transcript beside the audio, and collects every FIA document of the weekend as it is published. Live timing is in beta. The Sao Paulo times are in our Sao Paulo GP 2026 preview. Download Formula Dream for iOS and Android.
Yes. Isack Hadjar was told to let Max Verstappen pass into turn 12: "OK, I think let Max pass into turn 12". Verstappen finished third and Hadjar sixth.
On one stop. Mercedes left him out until lap 24 while Verstappen, Hamilton and Leclerc stopped early and then had to stop again. He won from pole by 13.078 seconds.
Every broadcast message from the weekend is free on our United States Grand Prix 2026 radio page, with audio and transcripts.
All 68 Formula 1 constructors' championships from Vanwall in 1958 to McLaren in 2025: the team, its wins, its points and the round it was settled. Mercedes lead the 2026 table by 126 points and can win the title at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
EngineerIt's a good pace, Kimmy. Just keep it up. Just go as long as you can.
EngineerOK, I think let Max pass into turn 12, into turn 12. I
Driverdon't want to lose race time, I come left side, I
Engineercome left side, sorry. No mate, this is what you do.
Engineer12 seconds to Norris, we need 38.5 and we are catching also Max, we are fighting the podium with 38.5
EngineerOK, so we think we're going to stay out, Hamilton likely will come through anyway, as long as we can get to the end, we'd still be at the jar like this
DriverYeah, no more coughs
EngineerOkay Franco, we need to box the car to retire. Box, box to retire. Sorry mate. Not what I expected.
EngineerSounds really bad, I think we're doing damage.
Engineernice work Kimi, that was a beautiful drive mate, awesome job by strategy, perfectly executed race, well done mate
Driveryes, woo, ah, that's how we do it, ah,
Engineerlet's go, yeah that's how we do it mate, yeah let's go, that's how we do it
Engineerone stop left to be in Kimi has made another small step another small step and
Drivergood job everyone that's the result we needed thank you so much and let's keep pushing
Engineerall the way Kimi, all the way yeah, great job for the strategy there yeah
Driveryeah, great job
DriverI had my rail in as well, he just hopped
Engineerin
Driveron me, didn't leave me any space.
EngineerSo how much pace do you have in hand?
DriverThere are, mate. Oh, yeah. I'm being held up now.
EngineerI'm close to here, so he's apparently just...
EngineerAntonelli making up all his lap times, sector 1, you are fastest, sector 2, sector 3
EngineerGeorge, we are currently under investigation for gaining an advantage, 10-13 on that one I
Driverwas on the inside, he
Engineerwas overtaken on the outside, that's his wrist Yeah, so it's both 12 and 13, couldn't agree more with you
EngineerShould swap is gonna hit me with this. I will let you know
DriverHurry!
EngineerYeah, at the moment we have to overtake him Mr. Bun. Okay, watch the onboard a bit
DriverI'll hit some depth in front of the flag, need to have a look at that.
EngineerOkay.
EngineerLado, we're currently thinking plan A, target lap
Drivershock entertainer car, take the yellow spin, consider
Engineerengine working too
EngineerVerstappen are wired at entry and exit line, stick about that, which
Driverversion, turn
Engineer11
Engineeroutlap critical, outlap critical
Engineercould be racing for exit
Driverthe tyres are okay by the way, should stay out of it yeah
Engineercopy mate, copy mate, stay out, stay out
EngineerOkay, I'll let the 10-second time panel be for the collision with Gasly.
EngineerIt's a good pace, Kimmy. Just keep it up. Just go as long as you can.
EngineerOK, I think let Max pass into turn 12, into turn 12. I
Driverdon't want to lose race time, I come left side, I
Engineercome left side, sorry. No mate, this is what you do.
Driveryeah, thank you guys, we look excited here, so good to hear
DriverWhy are we on the road?
EngineerIt's the first time for this thing we're going to do, Jimmy. What?
Engineerstrut three, strut three,
Driverstrut three, press boost,
Engineerpress boost, all the way, press boost, all the way
DriverI can't mess up properly with my car, it's unbroken, we
Engineersee some issues with the engine braking, torque 12 available, we have nothing else, I can't hear you, I
Drivercan't hear you
EngineerFront wing update please, Max.
DriverI've got literally no idea, Max. No idea.
EngineerIf you can keep Russell behind, this could be plan B. Do you think plan B is doable?
DriverYes, I think so, I suppose.
DriverAh, this guy, my god.
EngineerOkay Franco, we need to box the car to retire. Box, box to retire. Sorry mate. Not what I expected.
EngineerOK Lando, so the situation is, we're currently P2, our best chance is just make the one stop work, if it's not going to, it doesn't matter, we'll just bail off it late, best way to defend against Max is the yellow card.
Engineer12 seconds to Norris, we need 38.5 and we are catching also Max, we are fighting the podium with 38.5
EngineerWell done. A little bit unexpected, but yeah, happy
Driverwith that. Yeah, mate. Feels good. Thank you. Thank you, everyone. It was a good way after a few difficult weekends. Are you fair?
DriverMy seats get very, very hot on my back.
EngineerOkay, copy that. We'll take a look.
DriverAre we through? We
Engineerare through.
DriverAha, come on, well done boys. Thank you. You are P9, they are P10. Awesome, well done boys, congratulations. That was
Engineera
Driverteam effort, so well done to all of you.
EngineerYeah, we're all beaming here. Well done.
