Circuit of the Americas
The Circuit of the Americas near Austin, Texas: 5.513 km opened in 2012, with a steeply uphill first corner.
The Circuit of the Americas (COTA) is near Austin, Texas, in Travis County. It opened in 2012; the English page gives 21 October 2012. Its layout was conceived by Tavo Hellmund, who started the project, and Kevin Schwantz, with the help of the German architect Hermann Tilke.[1],[2]
The layout is 5.513 kilometres long with 20 turns. It runs counter-clockwise and has an elevation change of about 41 metres. It is the first circuit built specifically in the United States for a Formula 1 Grand Prix.[1],[2]
At a glance
| Place | Near Austin, Travis County, Texas[1],[2] |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Endurance series | WEC |
| Period | 2012-present |
| Opened | 2012 (21 October 2012)[1],[2] |
| Length | 5.513 km, 20 turns[1],[2] |
| Elevation change | about 41 m[1],[2] |
Landmarks of the circuit
- Turn 1, a steep climb
- The first corner is reached after a climb of more than 11% from the start line to the highest point of the circuit. The French page calls it the circuit's "signature".[1],[2]
- Turns 3 to 6
- This series of fast corners follows the idea of the Maggotts-Becketts-Chapel sequence at Silverstone.[1],[2]
- The observation tower
- The circuit's observation tower is 251 feet (77 metres) tall; its platform is 70 metres above the ground and is reached by 419 stairs.[1]
Key dates
- December 2010 — Construction begins.[1],[2]
- 2012 — The circuit opens; the first Formula 1 United States Grand Prix is held there in November 2012.[1],[2]
- 2013-2017 — The FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) runs a race there, later called Lone Star Le Mans.[1],[2]
- 2013 — The circuit also hosts the MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas.[1]
- Since 2020 — The WEC race, Lone Star Le Mans, returns to the circuit's calendar.[1],[2]
In the game
This circuit is part of the Circuit game: a heavily zoomed photo of one of its landmarks that you have to recognise. Play Circuit
Sources
The numbers in brackets refer to the sources listed at the bottom of the page.