What happened: Lewis Hamilton expressed admiration for his former Mercedes squad as the team contends at the top of the 2026 Formula 1 grid. He highlighted Kimi Antonelli, who is closing in on the F1 title in Hamilton's old seat, along with former race engineer Bono and the rest of the team's personnel.

Why it matters: Antonelli has propelled the team's championship push since breaking through for his maiden Formula 1 victory at the Chinese Grand Prix in March. Hamilton, who moved to Ferrari after his run alongside Bono at Mercedes, returns to Austin with his former team back in title contention.

What to watch: On-track sessions get underway at the Circuit of the Americas for the United States Grand Prix to open F1's triple-header stretch.