The Austin circuitbetter known as COTA (Circuit of the Americas)is a permanent circuit located near the city of Austin, Texas. Present in the Formula 1 calendar since 2012, it has so far hosted 12 editions of the World Championship and since 2013 it has also hosted the MotoGP races. The American track is one of a kind to have significant differences in height which make controlling the single-seaters very complicated. In this regard, already from the starting straight that leads to the first corner, a steep slope on the left has a gradient of11% and a height difference of 21 meters. The circuit has a length of 5513 meters with the pilots having to cover a total distance of on Sunday 19 October at 9.00 pm 308,728 km For 56 laps totals.
The shape of the track requires a set-up from medium-high aerodynamic loadespecially as regards the first sector, the more technical one that goes from turn 2 to turn 9 and is made up of a series of chicanes to be navigated at high speeds which recall the famous sequence of the Silverstone circuit in the Maggots-Becketts section.
In 2019 Charles Leclerc set the fastest lap in the race 1’36″169 with the Ferrari at an average speed of 206 km/h. Let’s find out in more detail the technical characteristics and the most critical points of the American circuit for drivers.
The Circuit of the Americas in Austin for the United States GP, one of the most difficult in the F1 World Championship
The American circuit is made up of 20 curvesof these 9 are on the right and 11 on the left. Among all the curves, the one that stands out right from the start curve 1a blind hairpin uphill to the left where you go from eighth to third gear: the riders arrive at approx 315 km/h and brake for just over 2 seconds covering 65 meters climbing a 86 km/hhere they are obtained 4.6 G of deceleration. At this point of the track, being very wide, drivers often take different trajectories to overtake. The idea for the Circuit of the Americas was born in 2007 almost by chance. Tavo Hellmundthe Texan entrepreneur who oversaw its creation, designed the first layout of the track on a simple napkin, taking inspiration from the Autódromo de las Américas in Mexico City for the name. Surprisingly, about the 90% of the original design was maintained in the final project, including the famous difference in height 41 meters which leads right to Turn 1, the symbol of Austin.
At the Circuit of the Americas, drivers are challenged to use their brakes well 12 times per roundfor a total time of just over 17 seconds. Of the 20 curves that make up the track, twelve they put the braking system to the test: in addition to turn 1, the other most demanding ones are braking curve 12 where you go from 316 to 86 km/h in 2.78 secondscovering 128 meters under constant pressure on the pedal, while the curve 11 forces you to get off 282 at 80 km/h in 2.51 seconds. During the entire race, each driver exerts a total load of on the brake pedal over 64 tons: a figure that perfectly conveys the idea of the physical and mechanical effort required by this circuit. In total the pilots pass the 18% lap time with your foot pressed on the brake pedal.
As for the power unithere in Austin we are with the throttle wide open for over 62% of lap time. The stretch that connects turn 11 to turn 12 is the longest on the circuit, just over 1 km of straight where only here does the accelerator work to 16 seconds. In this section there is also the first of the second sections in which you can activate the DRS, the first is located on the main straight that goes from turn 20 and flows into turn 1.
The first sector of the circuit is a series of very fast changes of direction which recalls the fast corners of Silverstone in Maggotts-Becketts-Chapel or the first sector of Suzuka: le curves 3 and 4 they face each other in seventh gear at approximately 280 km/hwhile the curves 5 and 6in sixth gear, travel at approximately 230 km/h with 3.5 g of lateral acceleration. Here the aerodynamic load is crucial: you have to find the right balance between speed, traction and load, because it is precisely in between curve 2 And curve 9 as time passes and you notice the differences between well-balanced cars and single-seaters that suffer.
The central sector opens with the curve 11where the pilots arrive at 295 km/h and they have to brake until 75 km/h in 120 meterswith a deceleration of 4.5gtaking the bend in third gear. There curve 12 is even more challenging: you go from 328 km/h to 87 km/h in 140 metreswith 4.6 g of decelerationthe traction here it becomes fundamental, especially in the stretch leading to turn 16, where acceleration and grip can make the difference.
The most iconic section of the route starts from here. After the slow curve 13the pilots prepare for curve 14in which taking the apex point is decisive to best set the curve 15wide at the entrance and narrow at the exit. Then comes the spectacular sequence of turns 16, 17 and 18driven at full acceleration in seventh gear, at approx 260 km/hwith 4.8 g of lateral acceleration: a continuously supported section that rotates around theAustin360 Amphitheaterwhere balance and precision are fundamental. The tour ends with the descent towards the curve 19 and the last fold, the curve 20a hairpin bend to the left that takes you back to the main straight.
Little stress on the gearbox instead, with around 3200 changed in total throughout the entire race.
COTA under the lens: strategies, tire management and asphalt secrets
For this year’s Austin race, Pirelli decided to experiment with a particular approach: a mix skipi.e. a non-consecutive selection of tires – C1 Hard, C3 Medium and C4 Soft – to increase the performance difference and stimulate diversified strategies. The choice was made to observe whether a harder compound than usual will favor those aiming for a single stop, or whether more aggressive tactics will prevail instead. two pit stops. In fact, usually in Austin the most adopted strategy is the one that involves one stop onlyas confirmed by the previous edition.
The tires will be put to the test. The first sector distributes stress almost uniformly between right and left, with accelerations and lateral loads that put the structure of the tires to the test. The curves 16-17-18all to the right at high speed, weigh on the left tires, while the rear and front are engaged by sudden braking, traction and rapid changes of direction. Degradation is above all thermal and can be accentuated by the Texas heat, which in October often exceeds 30°C. A further factor is theevolution of the track: with each lap the asphalt accumulates rubber, increases grip and improves lap times, allowing longer stints and more effective strategies.
There pit lane of COTA is approx 400 metersand the average pit stop time is approx 20 seconds. Strategies likeundercut (early pit stop to gain positions) e the overcut (postponing the pit stop to take advantage of fresher tires) are often adopted.
The Austin circuit in numbers: records, victories and statistics of the Texan track
In addition to the technical challenges, COTA is also a ground of records and statistics that tell its recent history in modern Formula 1. Here are the most interesting numbers to know about the United States GP:
- Drivers with the most victories: the King of Austin is Lewis Hamilton who holds the record here with 5 victories, followed by Max Verstappen at 3. One victory each for Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen, Charles Leclerc and Valtteri Bottas.
- Most successful teams: stands out above all Mercedes with 5 victories, followed by Red Bull (4), Ferrari (2), McLaren (1).
- Pole position: here too it excels Lewis Hamilton with 3 pole positions, followed by Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg (2).
- Drivers with the most podiums achieved: Lewis Hamilton (9), Max Verstappen (6), Sebastian Vettel (4), Nico Rosberg (3).
- Drivers with the most laps completed in the race: Lewis Hamilton (617), Sergio Perez (614), Daniel Ricciardo (525), Valtteri Bottas (523), Fernando Alonso (514).
- Record lap in the race: 1’36″169, set by Charles Leclerc in 2019
- Record lap in qualifying: 1’32″029, signed by Valtteri Bottas in 2019
But beyond the mere numbers, a series of events have taken place in Austin over the years that deserve to be mentioned. For example, out of the 12 editions held so far, well seven were decided with less than 5 seconds behind between first and second place: the inaugural race of 2012 was emblematic, in which Lewis Hamilton won against Sebastian Vettel by just 0.675 seconds of margin. In other cases, however, the winners dominated: just think of Hamilton in 2017, which closed with 10.143 seconds of advantage, or to Verstappen in 2023, author of the largest margin record with 10.730 seconds.
COTA was also the scene of very tight qualifications: in 2019 Valtteri Bottas took pole solo 12 thousandths of a secondwhile in 2024 Lando Norris he snatched it from Verstappen with barely 0.031 seconds of difference. On average, pole in Austin is decided by a margin of just over tenths of a second.
