Circuit of the Americas
Austin, USA
Circuit of the Americas is a purpose-built permanent track in Texas featuring a steep uphill run to its first corner inspired by Silverstone's Maggotts-Becketts complex, followed by a mix of fast esses and technical sections. It was designed with input from Formula 1 drivers and architects specifically to create overtaking opportunities. A large observation tower overlooking the circuit has become its visual landmark.
Length
5.513 km
Turns
20
Race Laps
56
Elevation
41m
First GP
2012
Lap Record
1:36.169
Charles Leclerc (2019)
Location
Nearest Town
The circuit sits just southeast of Austin, the capital of Texas and a city known for its live music scene, technology industry, and outdoor culture. Austin's relaxed, creative atmosphere has made the United States Grand Prix a popular fixture with both American and international fans. The track is only around 15 minutes from the city's downtown core.
Getting There
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is the closest airport, roughly 15-20 minutes' drive from the circuit. There is no dedicated rail link, so fans typically rely on rideshares, shuttle buses, or driving to the venue.
Circuit History & Trivia
Notable Incidents
The circuit's defining early controversy was not a crash but a financial and contractual crisis in late 2011, when promoter Tavo Hellmund admitted his company had breached its agreement with Formula One Management, halting construction. Bernie Ecclestone gave organizers an ultimatum to resolve the dispute by 7 December 2011 or permanently lose the race, and the situation was only resolved when investors Red McCombs and Bobby Epstein stepped in, renegotiated terms, and paid the sanctioning fee a year in advance. Hellmund subsequently sued Epstein over alleged non-payment, though the dispute was settled out of court by mid-2012, allowing the inaugural United States Grand Prix to proceed as planned.
Design History
The layout was conceived by Hellmund together with 1993 motorcycle world champion Kevin Schwantz, with German circuit designer Hermann Tilke providing professional engineering input, deliberately borrowing signature elements from famous European tracks, including a recreation of Silverstone's Maggotts-Becketts-Chapel sequence, Hockenheim-style arena bends, and a replica of Istanbul Park's Turn 8. Ground was broken on 31 December 2010, and although construction was originally targeted for completion by June 2012, work stoppages from the funding dispute pushed the finish date to August that year. The finished 3.426-mile, 20-turn track incorporates 133 feet of elevation change and was the first circuit purpose-built for Formula 1 in the United States.
Records & Notable Races
Charles Leclerc holds the official F1 race lap record at 1:36.169, set in a Ferrari during the 2019 United States Grand Prix, while Valtteri Bottas holds the fastest recorded qualifying lap, a 1:32.029 also from 2019. As a purpose-built venue with input directly from F1 drivers, the track was specifically engineered to reward late-braking overtakes, and it has produced consistently close racing since joining the calendar in 2012. Its counter-clockwise direction, unusual for most circuits, places different physical demands on drivers than the clockwise layouts they more commonly race.
Fun Facts
Investor Red McCombs initially favored calling the venue 'Speed City' before settling on Circuit of the Americas, a name he said reflected Austin's position 'at the crossroads of North America' as a hub of commerce and cultural exchange; Turn 1 was later renamed 'Big Red' in his honor in 2020. The circuit's signature 251-foot observation tower features a double-helix staircase of 419 steps and a 360-degree public viewing platform, with 18 red steel tubes designed to evoke the streaked lights of racing cars at night. The steep uphill run to Turn 1 has become one of the most recognizable opening corners in modern Formula 1.