The Circuit of the Americas is a racing circuit near Austin, Texas and is the current home of the United States Grand Prix.
Circuit History[]
This is the first circuit in the US to be purpose-built for Formula One. Both the race and the circuit were proposed in 2010 by promoter Tavo Hellmund and World Champion motorcyclist Kevin Schwantz. Assistance was provided by the Hermann Tilke group, and construction started later that year.
The circuit relies on the State of Texas to fund the $25 million fee charged by Formula One to hold the race every year. For FY2016, a conservative faction in the Texas state legislature proposed a 50% reduction in the contribution of the state to that fee, which would in effect have forced the race to be cancelled, or at least dropped to every-other-year status. That proposal was eventually voted down, but the specter of future attempts by the extremists is omnipresent.
In February 2022, the contract to host the United States Grand Prix at COTA was extended for an additional 5 years through the 2026 season.[1]
Circuit Layouts[]
Current[]
The circuit is built on hilly range land, about 10 miles southeast of Austin. It runs counter-clockwise, placing unusual stress loads on the drivers. The course has four basic sections: the 0.6 km start/finish strait, with a sharp uphill section ending in a 135° lefthander; an eight turn sequence inspired by the Maggotts-Becketts-Chapel section of Silverstone; another sharp hairpin leading onto a 1.1 km back straight; and a final series of tight corners that includes a near replica of turn 8 at Istanbul Park (but taken in the opposite direction).
Inside the turn 8 replica (known here as turns 17 and 18) is an amphitheater, designed for crowds up to 15,000, but somehow they squeezed in 80,000 fans for a Taylor Swift concert, the night before the 2016 United States Grand Prix. Immediately behind the amphitheater stage is a 77 meter (253 ft) tall observation tower and centerpiece, giving views of the track and all of the Austin metro area.
In between turns six and seven, a pair of short connecting roads create smaller courses for testing and lower formulae. With these roads, it is possible for two separate groups to hold events or conduct testing simultaneously.
The track configuration has never changed since the track opened. However, a concert stage for larger acts has now been set up along the back straight, facing the infield and the grandstands above Turn 10. This configuration is capable of accommodating 100,000 fans.
Event history[]
The following is a list of Formula One World Championship events held at the Circuit of the Americas:
Multiple winners[]
Drivers[]
| Wins | Driver | Years |
|---|---|---|
| 5 |  Lewis Hamilton
|
2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 |
| 3 |  Max Verstappen
|
2021, 2022, 2023 |
Constructors[]
| Wins | Constructor | Years |
|---|---|---|
| 5 |  Mercedes
|
2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 |
| 4 |  Red Bull
|
2013, 2021, 2022, 2023 |
Wins by Country[]
| Wins | Country |
|---|---|
| 5 | United Kingdom
|
| 3 | Netherlands
|
| 2 |  Finland
|
| 1 | Germany
|
Notes[]
- ↑ Spectrum: F1 and COTA agree to new 5-year deal for U.S. Grand Prix, https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-texas-el-paso/news/2022/02/18/f1-and-cota-agree-to-new-5-year-deal-for-u-s--grand-prix#:~:text=AUSTIN.,the%20Texas%20track%20through%202026, accessed on 20 Feb 2022
| V T E |  United States Grand Prix
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Circuits | Sebring (1959), Riverside (1960), Watkins Glen (1961–1980), Phoenix (1989–1991), Indianapolis (2000–2007), Austin (2012–present) |  |
| Formula One Races | 1959 • 1960 • 1961 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1968 • 1969 • 1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980 • 1981–1988 • 1989 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992–1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008–2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 • 2017 • 2018 • 2019 • | |
| Non-F1 races | 1908 • 1909 • 1910 • 1911 • 1912 • 1913 • 1914 • 1915 • 1916 • 1917–1957 • 1958 | |
| See also | Miami Grand Prix • Las Vegas Grand Prix • United States Grand Prix West • Indianapolis 500 • Detroit Grand Prix • Caesars Palace Grand Prix • Dallas Grand Prix • Questor Grand Prix |
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