Post by diburritomelon9 on Oct 16, 2018 10:24:00 GMT -5
Basic Information:
Capacity: 120,000
Owner: Circuit of the Americas LLC
Opened: 2012
Major events:
United States Grand Prix (Formula One)
Grand Prix of the Americas (MotoGP)
World RX Of USA (FIA World Rallycross Championship)
Indycar Series(beginning in 2019)
Former Major Events:
6 Hours of the Circuit of the Americas; FIA World Endurance Championship; 2013-2017)
Austin 400; V8 Supercars; 2013
International Sports Car Weekend; American Le Mans Series; 2013
Grand-Am of the Americas; Rolex Sports Car Series; 2013
Lone Star Le Mans; IMSA Sportscar Championship; 2014-2017
About:
Track type: Permanent Road Course
Surface: asphalt
Length: 3.427 mi
Turns: 20
Race lap record:1:37.766 (Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, 2017)
Circuit of The Americas (COTA) is a grade 1 FIA specification 3.427-mile (5.515 km) motor racing facility located in Austin, Texas, on the southeastern periphery of Austin city limits, in Central Texas. The circuit and Grand Prix were first proposed in the middle of 2010. The circuit was the first in the United States to be purpose-built for Formula One. The layout was conceived by promoter Tavo Hellmund and 1993 Motorcycle World Champion Kevin Schwantz with the assistance of German architect and circuit designer Hermann Tilke, who has also designed the Sepang, Shanghai, Yas Marina, Istanbul, Bahrain, Yeongam, and Buddh circuits, as well as the reprofiling of the Hockenheimring and Fuji Speedway.
The layout was revealed on an episode of Wind Tunnel on August 22, 2010. It is one of the only Formula One circuits ran counter-clockwise. From the start line, the drivers climb a gradient of over 11% to the first corner—the highest point of the circuit—with the apex of the corner positioned on the crest of the hill. They descend the hill to navigate a series of fast sweepers modeled on Silverstone's Maggotts-Becketts-Chapel complex and through a blind corner at Turn 10, taking them to the far end of the circuit and a hairpin at Turn 11. The drivers then follow a 0.62-mile (1.00 km) straight back towards the pit and paddock area before entering the final sector of the lap and weaving through a series of corners modeled on Hockenheim's stadium section. This is followed by a downhill, multi-apex corner with limited run-off before the final two corners of the circuit, a pair of left-hand bends that return the drivers to the main straight.
Elroy Road in Travis County had to be redone after the first F1 race in 2012 due to the unstable clay soils under the road surface, causing the road to buckle and shift. The road had to be able to withstand the massive increase of traffic it would see for events held at this track.
The track also features an amphitheater at the base of the observation tower, which was eventually named the Austin360 Amphitheater. It can hold around 14,000 people, and started hosting events in April 2013, starting with a Kenny Chesney concert. By 2019, a new soccer stadium is to be built by the amphitheater and the Grand Plaza. It is set to hold games for the Austin Bold FC in the United Soccer League.
In late 2018, it was announced that Indycar will start holding races at this track at the end of March. The race was put at this point in order to keep momentum from the season opener going. For many years, the season opener and the 2nd race of the season had a 1 month long gap. Now, only one bye week separates St. Petersburg and Circuit of the Americas.
www.racing-reference.info/tracks/Circuit_of_the_Americas