It was November 2012 that Austin arrived on the F1 calendar, since which Circuit of The Americas has been a popular part of the schedule.
This year will complete the first dozen visits to Texas, with only 2020 breaking the annual run due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The purpose-built track was designed by Hermann Tilke, opened by former F1 champion Mario Andretti, and has delivered some fabulous racing — including more than 100,000 spectators for its inaugural grand prix. They got to witness Lewis Hamilton’s last win in a McLaren, before his 2013 switch to Mercedes.
Key facts include:
- Circuit length: 5.513 km (3.426 miles)
- Number of laps: 56
- Race distance: 308.405 km (191.634 miles)
- Lap record: 1:36.169 (Charles Leclerc, 2019)
- First GP: 2012
For more on the COTA challenge, I recommend reading Madeline Coleman’s circuit breakdown — just click on the link below.
GO FURTHER
F1 United States GP circuit breakdown: COTA’s design borrows from the greats
