U.S. Grand Prix: a Texas circuit rich in references
Formula 1 returns to Uncle Sam's country this weekend after a four-week break. To kick off the final quarter of the championship, fans will be treated to a sprint race on Saturday, in addition to the traditional Sunday race. Here's everything you need to know about the Circuit of the Americas (COTA).
Translate: The 19th Grand Prix of the season is taking place this weekend at the Circuit of the Americas. Inaugurated in 2012, COTA still attracts many fans around the track. Last year, Austin set an attendance record with the presence of no less than 400,000 enthusiasts around the circuit throughout the weekend.
The Texan culture is also omnipresent when F1 arrives in Austin. Cowboy hats and boots abound in the paddock and grandstands of the circuit. The motto of the Texan capital, Keep Austin Weird, is felt from the beginning to the end of the weekend. A climate that stands out compared to many other events, notably the other two Grand Prix events taking place across the Atlantic (Miami and Las Vegas).
A family resemblance sketch
Designed by the German architect Hermann Tilke, the Texan track recalls other circuits. Its most striking resemblance is its sequence of corners 3 to 6, which takes on the characteristics of Maggots and Becketts corners at Silverstone. Other sections have also been designed to evoke mythical layouts, such as Suzuka, Interlagos, or Istanbul Park.
The drivers will have to complete 56 laps on the 5,516 km circuit, for a total distance of 308.896 km. Only the Jeddah circuit has more corners than the 20 present on the Texan circuit (equaled with Baku). Turn 1 of the COTA, reminiscent of that of the Red Bull Ring, is located at the top of a hill with gradients of up to 11% and generally provides excitement right from the start. The highest point of the circuit, it is located more than 30 meters above the lowest point.
Another feature of the American circuit, drivers will race it counterclockwise. After the four DRS zones of the Singapore Grand Prix, only two are present for this Grand Prix, between turns 11 and 12, then between turns 20 and 1.
Track records
The two records at COTA were achieved in 2019. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) had secured the pole position with a reference time of 1:32.029. Although the Finn won ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, it was Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), who finished just off the podium that day, who set the absolute race record with a time of 1:36.169.
New changes
Several modifications have taken place regarding the track edges. The asphalt curbs of turns 6, 13, 14, and 15 have been reduced by 1.5 meters. The asphalt runoff area of turn 11 has been replaced by a gravel trap bonded by resin insert. Organizers are regularly faced with a puzzle for these adjustments, as COTA is the venue for both Formula 1 and MotoGP, and the two disciplines sometimes require different characteristics.
Read also: Highlights of the United States Grand Prix
Located in a marshy area, the Circuit of the Americas is regularly the subject of resurfacing. This year is no exception with a partial renovation of its asphalt. This is intended to eliminate bumps that appear in various parts of the track, which had sparked various complaints last year.
This resurfacing allows for a smoother track. However, this implies a lower level of grip than what can be found elsewhere. To overcome this, teams can adjust the ride height or reinforce certain parts of the cars, which can affect aerodynamics. Tire pressure or lateral loads are other factors that engineers can work on.
The return of the sprint
Teams will have to quickly find their settings, the sprint format allowing less room for error with only one free practice session instead of the usual three. For the fourth time this season, drivers will be competing on the track as early as Saturday with the 19-lap sprint race. The qualifying for it will take place on Friday, just a few hours after the drivers have set foot on the Texan asphalt for the first time. In a season finale where every point matters, adaptation will be crucial not to lose big even before Sunday’s race.
Pirelli’s choice
Pirelli, the exclusive tire manufacturer for F1, did not make any changes to its tire selection for the 2024 United States Grand Prix compared to the previous edition. The C2 compounds will correspond to the hard tires, the C3 to the medium tires, and the C4 to the soft tires. However, a slight modification has been made compared to the last three races (Monza, Baku, and Singapore), with the C2 tires appearing instead of the C5.
Also read: The stakes of a season finale 2024 promise a great suspense
