It was Lights Out and Away We Go last weekend in Austin, Texas as almost half a million motorsport fans witnessed Ferrari go 1-2 at the 2024 Pirelli U.S. Grand Prix.
Do you want to be a Grand Prix Pole Sitter and have the best Sunday possible?
If so, here are three tips to help you maximize your experience on race day at Circuit of the Americas (COTA).
1. Go Early
Unless you love sitting in endless traffic before the Grand Prix, plan to be at the track no later than 9am on Sunday.
I took the Official Shuttle from Waterloo Park in Downtown Austin, which was effortless at 8am.
You can also buy a parking pass - preferably in lot A if you are sitting in the Main Grandstand or plan to join the masses on Turn One.
Your stress-free early arrival means that you can enjoy a plethora of on- and off-track activities.
As far as racing goes, Sunday morning features the Masters Endurance Legends, the Masters Historic and the Porsche Carrera Cup North America.
In between on-track action, you can visit any number of F1 Experiences, ranging from Sim Car racing to the Lego area to the Tower Observation Deck, all located near the Grand Plaza.
My favorite chill-out areas around the track this year were Lone Star World and the Biergarten, with plenty of live music on offer.
At a minimum, plan to be at your seats by noon for the Drivers Parade, where all 20 F1 drivers are driven around the circuit to hear enthusiastic cheers from their faithful in the crowd.
2. Come Prepared
Unlike many events in Austin, which are clear bag only, COTA allows fans to bring in backpacks, chairs, blankets and umbrellas.
Click here for a list of Venue Policies.
Here is what I had in my bag: phone, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, plastic refillable water bottle, portable phone charger and cord, earplugs, book, blanket, and bandana.
3. Stay Late
When the race ends at approximately 3:45pm, you can either rush to the exits to try to beat the crowd - or, I recommend the fan track invasion immediately following the race.
With entry points at turns 1 and 19 or from the Main Grandstand, thousands of racegoers flood the track and run towards the end of pit lane.
The opportunity to watch the trophy presentation from the start-finish lane is a MUST DO.
After the post-race festivities, stick around for the concert at Germania, which this year featured the DJ duo Two Friends.
At about 5:30, I exited the Grand Plaza to make the short walk to the bus pickup across the track from Turn 19/20. The shuttle took about two hours to get home, but that is to be expected.
As the coach drove away from the track, I waved goodbye to another successful weekend of Formula One in Austin, and I am counting the days until next year.
To read more about F1 Experiences in Austin and globally, click here.
Comments