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Alpine Drivers Lead Qualifying Speeds at COTA

As Kimi Antonelli claims pole, teams balance high speeds with tire preservation amid windy conditions.

Updated on Oct. 25, 2026 in Motorsports

Alpine Drivers Lead Qualifying Speeds at COTA

Live Poll

Do you prefer when racing teams prioritize tire preservation over raw straight-line speed?

Fans at Circuit of the Americas saw Alpine drivers dominate Saturday's qualifying top-speed charts while Kimi Antonelli secured pole position for the upcoming race. Teams now shift focus toward tire preservation on the 5.513-kilometer track as they finalize race-day strategies.

Why it matters

Balancing top-line speed against rear tire wear remains the primary challenge for teams navigating the high-energy cornering sequences of our local track. Gusting winds and expected 40°C track temperatures could force teams to shift away from their primary one-stop race strategies.

Alpine drivers hit top speeds of 341.9 km/h and 341.6 km/h during qualifying, while others like Charles Leclerc clocked 318.8 km/h on the 5.513-kilometer Circuit of the Americas track. The final race strategy remains unknown, contingent on whether 30 km/h wind gusts force extra pit stops.

The players

Kimi Antonelli

The driver who qualified on pole position for the upcoming race.

Franco Colapinto

The driver who recorded the highest speed of 341.9 km/h during the qualifying session.

Pierre Gasly

The driver who recorded the second-highest speed of 341.6 km/h.

Circuit of the Americas

The local 5.513-kilometer race track hosting the Formula 1 event.

Pirelli

The tire manufacturer providing performance simulations for race strategies.

The details

Engineers are currently calibrating wing levels to find the right compromise between straight-line speed and high-load cornering performance. While a one-stop strategy using Hard tires is preferred, Pirelli simulations suggest gusting winds could force a pivot to multi-stop plans. Teams are specifically monitoring tire health during the pit windows scheduled between laps 20 and 32.

Timeline

  1. Saturday: Formula 1 qualifying session occurred.

  2. Laps 20-26: Pit window for Soft to Hard strategy.

  3. Laps 21-27: Pit window for Medium to Hard strategy.

  4. Laps 26-32: Pit window for Medium to Soft strategy.

The Texas Context

This weekend's race follows the established pattern of high-energy cornering sequences causing significant tire wear at the local circuit. Teams continue to balance speed against the track's known tendency to force aggressive tire degradation.

If you are attending the race, prepare for 40°C track temperatures and windy conditions that could influence the frequency of pit stops. Fans should watch the designated pit windows between laps 20 and 32 to see if teams hold their one-stop strategy or pivot due to the weather.

The takeaway

Keep an eye on whether gusting winds force teams to abandon their planned one-stop race strategy during the event. Watch the laps between 20 and 32 to see if tire degradation forces teams into the pits more frequently than expected.

Further reading

For more on the current season at our local track, visit the Motorsports section.

Live Poll

Do you prefer when racing teams prioritize tire preservation over raw straight-line speed?