Overview
- The title can be decided in Austin on Friday if Antonelli wins while George Russell finishes ninth or lower and Lewis Hamilton finishes fifth or lower.
- Antonelli leads Russell by 102 points and has eight victories this season, with limited remaining points left that make an early clinch possible but mathematically narrow.
- Drivers and team sources say the 2026 power‑unit changes raised the electric power share and made energy management and later throttle application more valuable, which suits Antonelli’s driving style.
- Russell has acknowledged late adaptation and some personal mistakes cost him time in the title fight and said he only recently adjusted his driving to the new car characteristics.
- Ongoing conflict in the Middle East could cancel one or two late rounds and bring Imola in as a replacement, a change that would reduce available points and alter where the championship is decided.