On October 20, the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, popularly known as the Circuit of the Americas, will be held in the magical city of Austin, Texas. Last season’s Grand Prix proved to be a proper spectacle, with Max Verstappen taking first place, followed by Lando Norris in second and Carlos Sainz in third. Verstappen has proven to be a true master of this race, winning the past three American Grands Prix.
The United States Grand Prix is a motor racing event that has been held on and off since 1908. As of 2023, it has been held 52 times in 10 different locations. In August 2009, then-Formula One President Bernie Ecclestone remarked that there was no immediate plan to return Formula One to the United States, vowing “never to return” to Indianapolis. Nevertheless, shortly before the first Grand Prix of the 2010 season, Ecclestone continued to fuel speculation that a return to Indianapolis was not out of the question.
Various efforts were made to try to bring the race to the New York region. In March 2010, Ecclestone announced plans to bring a Formula One race to New York City for the 2012 season. Ecclestone discussed having the race take place across the Hudson River in New Jersey, with the New York City skyline overlooking the circuit. In May 2010, plans emerged for a circuit to be built in this region, but those plans were abandoned shortly thereafter.
Since 2012, it has been held every year at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, except in 2020, when it was canceled due to the Covid pandemic.
The Circuit itself is a relatively short track, measuring 5.513 km in length. Compared to many other Formula 1 races, it is also shorter in number of laps, consisting of only 56 laps. It is known for being a hot, physically gruesome and relatively action-packed race. The temperatures for this upcoming race are expected to reach around 30 degrees Celsius, a factor the teams will need to consider for any necessary adjustments.
The Circuit of the Americas has an excellent and detailed app called COTA. It has many different sections with information on various things, such as who the drivers are, what events will be held, the schedule and lineups, the official map, the partners, the venue policies, your own personalized schedule and your own tickets. Many have said that this app can be very useful in anything relating to the Grand Prix, especially its detailed section with the official map showing where everything is.
While Verstappen holds the wins from the past three Austin Grands Prix, the driver with the most wins in the Grand Prix’s history is Lewis Hamilton of the Mercedes racing team. Hamilton has won a staggering six United States Grands Prix with the legendary Michael Schumacher following closely behind with five wins.
