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Just a few weeks after the Austin City Limits music festival, Austin will host another global event as the Circuit of the Americas will host the US Formula 1 Grand Prix for the first time since the pandemic began.
The weeklong festival will include events for North America’s premier Formula 1 race from Friday October 29 through Sunday October 31.
With three days of races, parades and more, it can be hard to know what to expect from an event that COTA Chairman Bobby Epstein said would be “the biggest event in the world this year”.
Don’t miss a beat:
But no fear. Here is Austonia’s complete guide to making sure your trip to the US Grand Prix is out of this world:
What to bring
For this reason, you shouldn’t have a hot microphone in the COTA Twitter HQ. #USGP pic.twitter.com/9PhcKAVJEe
– Circuit of The Americas (@COTA) October 25, 2018
While some have only bought tickets for the big race, others are planning a three-day festival filled with constant outdoor activities. For foreigners and strangers, the Austin weather in October may not be quite what to expect – many joke that a “case” in Texas is next to nonexistent. Check the weather frequently to see what’s in stock.
Our prediction is that shorts or flowing pants / skirts, a short-sleeved shirt and a light jacket will suffice. If it looks like it’s raining on the horizon, don’t forget a poncho and / or small umbrella as the elements don’t offer much protection there.
Regardless of the weather, it’s a safe bet to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, and some bug spray. Other not-so-typical items to pack in your bag – which should be smaller than 12 x 12 x 20 inches – include earplugs for the big race, binoculars, and your phone camera to capture those Ferraris at full speed.
Depending on your seating, don’t forget to bring a folding chair and pack a sealed plastic water bottle if possible – this is the only type of food or drink allowed on the property.
Keep all tents / canopies, cool boxes, and large umbrellas at home. Read here what not to bring with you.
Make sure you have your tickets and you are ready!
Park
try to get from your parking lot to your seat 15 minutes before the start of the race pic.twitter.com/2ly2DDcUVU
– Circuit of The Americas (@COTA) February 8, 2021
COTA’s infamous parking can be a breeze – F11 fan Kevin Andrew said he spent two and a half hours exploring the venue’s sprawling cobbled and grassy plazas.
If you’re impatient, it can be wise to check out early bird treatment before the gates open at 7 a.m. Friday, 8 a.m. Saturday, and 6:25 a.m. Sunday. Arrive in good time before the start of your first desired event, especially on Sunday.
Three-day tickets already sell out (although you can find some at resellers), while one-day tickets start at $ 60. Click here to book a day ticket.
For those who want to beat the crowd and keep some change, shuttles are picked up from five locations around town for $ 15 per day. An additional Park-N-Ride parking lot, Lot Q, also allows guests to drop off their cars and take the shuttle to COTA. Click here for shuttle information.
Additional transportation convenience includes a drop-off point for limousines, taxis, and ridesharing. Cyclists have access to showers in the GEICO Premium RV parking space.
Food, music and more
As part of the US Grand Prix, COTA will be a “World Fair” -like festival filled with local food, live music and extraordinary activities. (Circuit of the Americas)
Once you step through these gates, the actual event will have a lot going for it. Between 300,000 and 350,000 people are expected to attend the big race and fans are more excited than ever after almost two years without F1 in North America.
But just as much fun as the big race – at least for the occasional spectator – are the many attractions in the run-up.
The highlights include appearances by Twenty One Pilots and Billy Joel on Friday and Saturday respectively, two races for the All-Women-W-Series racing championship and the FIA Formula 4 junior championship, NASCAR demos and a short driver parade on Sunday before the race.
This is also an opportunity for Austin to entertain guests from near and far – like a “World’s Fair,” as Andrews put it – and COTA will keep Austin on the map.
With over 20 concerts on several stages on Saturday and Sunday, the “Live Music Capital of the World” will earn its reputation. Highlights include Kool and the Gang and 15 Austin ensembles including The Ghost Wolves, Mobley and three-time Best of Austin winner DJ Chorizo Funk.
That Austin flair is well represented in the kitchen, too – expect to find over 30 restaurants dotted around the grounds, including local favorites Bao’d Up, Easy Tiger, Amy’s Ice Cream, and Tiny Pies. Visit the Taste of Texas section for local food, the beer garden for Bavarian beer, food and polka dancing, Lone Star Land for Austin’s classic chicken shit bingo and line dance, and La Cantina for Tex-Mex and a tribute to Selena.
Still not satisfied? COTA’s Onederland claims to be home to the best F1 General Admission turf in the world and is jam-packed with more than just amusement park rides. Expect the annual SPAMARAMA (yes, a spam-themed festival), ax throwing, the Major League Eating Championship, and lots of artists on stilts. Don’t forget to get a local tattoo artist inked a COTA themed tattoo.
Formula 1 – a breakdown
Hamilton and Perez served a treat with this mini battle 🍿 # TurkishGP 🇹🇷 # F1 pic.twitter.com/jOTcurRWue
– Formula 1 (@ F1) October 10, 2021
New to Formula 1? You’re not alone – the sport grew in popularity in North America after being made famous by the Netflix series “Drive To Survive”. With the opening of a new route in Miami, that growth will only continue.
Here’s what you need to know to get caught:
Formula 1 vehicles are arguably the fastest road racing cars in the world. The single-seaters with open wheels reach top speeds of around 215 miles per hour and all adhere to a “formula” of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile.
Formula 1 is the highest formula racing league in the world and consists of 20 drivers in 10 teams who compete in locations in North and South America, Central Asia and its home continent Europe. F1 has existed in one form or another for over 70 years, offering races on closed city streets as well as purpose-built circuits like COTA.
The league is very popular in Europe but has had intermittent success in North America. The US Grand Prix was first held in 1908 and over the next century it was held for 49 appearances in 10 different venues. Most recently, he spent seven years in Indianapolis from 2000 to 2007 before finding a home in Austin in 2012.
This US Grand Prix will be his 50th race and the 17th race of the season.
The big race – Hamilton versus Verstappen
Defending champion Lewis Hamilton faces tough competition from young Max Verstappen in the fight for the F1 championship. (Mercedes-AFG Petronas F1 Team / Twitter) (Red Bull Racing / Twitter)
The 20 drivers of the league crossed the map over the course of the season and adapted to the locations on four continents with very different terrain. But one factor has remained constant – the standout Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have rarely left the leaderboard.
Only six points differentiate the two-star drivers with over a dozen races – a difference that is small enough that the real winner may not be recognized by the end. With 262.5 points, the Dutchman Verstappen has a slight lead over the Briton Hamilton and both have over 1.5 times more points than the next runner-up, Hamilton’s team-mate Valtteri Bottas.
Hamilton and Bottas make up Team Mercedes, number one in the league, while Verstappen and fifth-placed Sergio Perez make up second-placed Red Bull Racing Honda.
The even team, even cars and head-to-head standings have created a fan-fueled rivalry that F1 hasn’t seen in a while.
This US Grand Prix, like the rest of the season, will be proof of old and new. A 36-year-old Hamilton has taken home seven F1 championships, including four years of dominance in the sport from 2017 to 2020, and won five times on US turf at COTA. Meanwhile, the 24-year-old Verstappen was once the youngest F1 driver and youngest Grand Prix winner of all time and has since finished third for two years in a row.
The heated rivalry culminated in three dangerous falls throughout the season, including one at the Italian Grand Prix on September 13th. Grand Prix Drivers Association chairman Alex Wurz said it was “very likely” that they will do it again.
The next crash site may or may not be at COTA, but at the US Grand Prix, the two titans will clash again as the season nears its end. Expect one or both of them to end up at the top of the leaderboard, and make sure to give one of the names to a dedicated fan if you’re looking for a side banter.
Other drivers to watch out for include Bottas as a likely contender for third place and some fun in the middle of the race from Perez and fourth place rival Lando Norris.
For a full weekend schedule, click here. Happy COTA days!
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