F1 qualifying start time: What time qualifying begins for the United States Grand Prix, how long it lasts on Saturday

F1 arrives back in the US this weekend for the start of a three-race Western Hemisphere slate of races. The circuit is in Austin at the Circuit of the Americas for the 2022 United States Grand Prix.

The race airs on Sunday, and the day prior the starting grid will be determined through a three-stage qualifying process. Qualifying will run at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 22. It will air on ESPNEWS.

F1 qualifying is three stages and lasts a little over an hour. The first stage is 18 minutes and features all 20 drivers racing for the fastest time. The five slowest drivers are eliminated and will start Sunday’s race at P16-20 in the starting grid, pending any grid penalties. The second stage features the remaining 15 drivers and runs 15 minutes. The five slowest drivers are eliminated and will start at P11-15 in the starting grid, again pending any grid penalties. The final stage is ten minutes and the ten remaining drivers compete for the pole position and the remaining top ten positions.

Max Verstappen heads to Austin looking to equal the single-season wins mark. He has 12 to date and the record is 13. Including the US Grand Prix, he has four races remaining to try and break Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel’s record. He’s a sizable favorite to win heading into qualifying with -240 odds at DraftKings Sportsbook. Charles Leclerc is pushing Sergio Pérez (+1000) for second place in the final standings.

How to watch qualifying for the United States Grand Prix

Date: Saturday, October 22
Time: 6 p.m. ET
TV channel: ESPNEWS
Live stream: WatchESPN

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