Circuit of the Americas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Circuit of the Americas

COTA
Grand Prix Circuit (2012–present)
NASCAR Circuit (2025)
Location	Austin, Texas, United States
Time zone	UTC−06:00 (UTC−05:00 DST)
Coordinates	30°7′58″N 97°38′28″W / 30.13278°N 97.64111°W / 30.13278; -97.64111
Capacity	120,000
FIA Grade	1
Owner	Circuit of the Americas LLC (2012–present)
Broke ground	December 31, 2010; 14 years ago (2010-12-31)
Opened	October 21, 2012; 12 years ago (2012-10-21)
Architect	Tavo Hellmund, Kevin Schwantz, and Hermann Tilke
Major events	Current: Formula One United States Grand Prix (2012–2019, 2021–present) Grand Prix motorcycle racing Motorcycle Grand Prix of the Americas (2013–2019, 2021–present) FIA World Endurance Championship Lone Star Le Mans (2013–2017, 2020, 2024–present) NASCAR Cup Series EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix (2021–present) NASCAR Xfinity Series Focused Health 250 (2021–present) GT World Challenge America GT World Challenge America at COTA (2013, 2015–2021, 2023–present) Trans-Am Series Austin Speedtour (2015–present) MotoAmerica Superbikes at Texas (2015–2019, 2022–present)
Grand Prix Circuit (2012–present)
Length	3.426 mi (5.513 km)
Turns	20
Race lap record	1:36.169 ( Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF90, 2019, F1)
NASCAR Circuit (2025)
Length	2.400 mi (3.862 km)
Turns	17
Race lap record	1:30.042 ( Valentino Catalano, Duqueine D08, 2025, LMP3)
National Circuit (2012–present)
Length	2.300 mi (3.702 km)
Turns	19
Race lap record	1:33.284 ( Johnny O'Connell, Cadillac CTS-V, 2013, PWC GT)

The Circuit of the Americas (COTA) is a famous race track in Austin, Texas, USA. It's a special track built for high-speed car and motorcycle races. The track is about 3.4 miles (5.5 km) long.

COTA is home to many exciting events. These include the Formula One United States Grand Prix, NASCAR races like the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix, and motorcycle races such as the Motorcycle Grand Prix of the Americas. It also hosts the FIA World Endurance Championship with the Lone Star Le Mans.

The idea for the circuit and the Grand Prix started in 2010. It was the first track in the United States built just for Formula One racing. The track's design was created by Tavo Hellmund, Kevin Schwantz, and German architect Hermann Tilke. Tilke has designed many other famous race tracks around the world.

Building the Circuit of the Americas

How COTA Was Built

The 251-foot (77 m) observation tower being built at COTA

Turn 11 before it was finished

In July 2010, plans were announced to build the track on a large piece of land in Travis County. Red McCombs, a Texas billionaire, was a big investor in the project.

The design for the track was sent for approval in December 2010. Construction started on December 31, 2010. The goal was to finish by June 2012, but it was later changed to August. Workers first prepared the land by building fences and clearing plants.

The final layer of asphalt for the track was finished in September 2012. The track officially opened on October 21, 2012. Legendary race car driver Mario Andretti drove the first laps in his famous Lotus 79 car.

Choosing the Name

Red McCombs wanted to call the place "Speed City." However, on April 12, 2011, the track's name was announced as "Circuit of the Americas." McCombs later said that "Americas" was a great part of the name. It showed that Austin was a meeting point for North and South America.

Exciting Races at COTA

Formula One Races and Fans

After four years without a Formula One race in the United States, COTA hosted the 2012 United States Grand Prix. A huge crowd of 117,429 people came to watch.

In October 2022, the Formula One United States Grand Prix broke attendance records. About 440,000 people attended the three-day event. This was more than the 400,000 record set in 2021. The final race on Sunday brought over 150,000 fans. This big increase in popularity was partly thanks to the TV show Formula 1: Drive to Survive.

IndyCar Racing at COTA

In 2018, IndyCar announced that COTA would host its races for several years. COTA made its IndyCar debut on March 24, 2019, with the IndyCar Classic. This was the second race of the 2019 season.

Sadly, the 2020 race was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In October 2020, COTA was unexpectedly removed from the 2021 IndyCar schedule.

NASCAR Comes to COTA

Circuit of the Americas during the 2018 US Grand Prix

On September 30, 2020, it was announced that COTA would host a NASCAR Cup Series event for the first time. This race took place on May 23, 2021. Smaller NASCAR races, the Xfinity and Truck Series, were also added. NASCAR decided to use the full 3.426-mile (5.513 km) course.

The first NASCAR race weekend had a lot of rain. The Truck race was very wet, and the Cup race was shortened because drivers couldn't see well. Despite the rain, NASCAR has continued to return to COTA each year. Starting in 2025, both the Cup and Xfinity Series races will use a shorter 2.356-mile (3.792 km) layout.

What You'll Find at COTA

The Racetrack Design

Main straight and turn 1 hill

Crowd at COTA on race day

The COTA track is 3.426 miles (5.513 km) long and has twenty turns. It also has a big elevation change of 133 feet (41 m). The design was inspired by famous European Formula One tracks. It includes parts that look like Silverstone's Maggotts–Becketts–Chapel section and Hockenheim's arena bends.

One cool thing about COTA is that some corners are wider. This allows drivers to choose different paths, making the racing more exciting. COTA is one of the few tracks where cars race counter-clockwise. This means there are more left turns than right turns. This can be tougher on drivers' bodies, especially their necks!

The race starts with drivers going up a steep hill to the first corner, called Big Red. This is the highest point on the track. Then they go downhill, through a series of fast turns, and into a hairpin turn. After a long straight section, they enter the final part of the lap with more challenging corners before returning to the start.

Drivers' Thoughts on the Track

Before the first race in 2012, many drivers loved the track. Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton said it would be harder to learn than other new tracks. Jenson Button called the first part of the track "spectacular." Mark Webber also praised the fast first section.

Grand Plaza Fun

COTA on race day

COTA on opening day – from Parking Lot A

The Grand Plaza is a 20-acre (0.081 km2) area at COTA. It has a large reflecting pool, a big lawn, and different landscaped areas. Along one side, you'll find places to buy food, shops, and restrooms. Two bridges cross over the track, letting visitors reach other parts of the circuit.

The Observation Tower

Tower at COTA

COTA has a tall 251-foot (77 m) observation tower. It's a landmark for the whole venue. You can take an elevator or climb 419 stairs to an observation platform 230 feet (70 m) high. From there, you get amazing 360-degree views of the track and even downtown Austin. The platform has glass railings and a glass floor, and it can hold up to 70 people. A bright red steel structure wraps around the tower, looking like the streaks of light from racecars at night.

Germania Insurance Amphitheater

Collective Soul performing at the Tower Amphitheater

The Germania Insurance Amphitheater as seen from the top of the tower

COTA also has an outdoor concert venue called the Germania Insurance Amphitheater. It opened in April 2013 with a concert by Kenny Chesney. The amphitheater can hold up to 14,000 people. It has permanent seats and a grassy area for general admission. It was first called the Tower Amphitheater, then Austin360 Amphitheater, and since 2020, it's been the Germania Insurance Amphitheater.

Germania Insurance Super Stage

For really big concerts that need more space than the amphitheater, COTA uses the Germania Insurance Super Stage. This is a temporary stage located inside the track, between Turns 11 and 12. It's often used for the F1 Concerts and other major music acts.

Main Grandstand Seating

The main seating area at COTA is the Main Grandstand. It's 65 feet (20 m) tall and can hold about 9,000 spectators. The seats are on three levels, and most of them are covered by a canopy. The grandstand also has food stands, restrooms, offices, and lounge areas.

Karting Track

COTA has a fun karting track with 15 turns and a length of 0.63 miles (1.01 km). It has wide turns, S-turns, and a new hairpin turn. The karts can go up to 55 mph (89 km/h)! It's located right in front of the Main Grandstand.

Bold Stadium

In 2017, a new soccer stadium was built at COTA. It's called Bold Stadium and can seat 5,000 people. The professional soccer team Austin Bold FC played there from 2019 to 2021. The Austin Gilgronis rugby team also played their home games there.

Different Track Layouts

COTA has different ways to set up its track for various races.

• Grand Prix Circuit: This is the longest layout, 3.426 miles (5.513 km), used for Formula One and MotoGP.
• National Circuit: A shorter layout, 2.300 miles (3.702 km), used for other events.
• NASCAR Circuit: Starting in 2025, NASCAR will use a 2.400-mile (3.862 km) layout.
• Rallycross Circuit: A special layout for rallycross races.

Fastest Laps at COTA

The fastest official race lap records at COTA are:

Events Held at COTA

Current Events

COTA hosts many races throughout the year:

• March: Grand Prix motorcycle racing (Motorcycle Grand Prix of the Americas), NASCAR Cup Series (EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix), NASCAR Xfinity Series (Focused Health 250), and IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge.
• April: GT World Challenge America, GT America Series, GT4 America Series, TC America Series, and Toyota Gazoo Racing Cup North America.
• May: Porsche Sprint Challenge North America and Mustang Cup Series.
• September: FIA World Endurance Championship (Lone Star Le Mans), MotoAmerica (Championship of Texas), and IMSA Ford Mustang Challenge.
• October: Formula One (United States Grand Prix) and Porsche Carrera Cup North America.
• November: Trans-Am Series (COTA SpeedTour) and Sportscar Vintage Racing Association.
• December: World Racing League (COTA National Championship).

Past Events

The track has also hosted many other exciting events in the past, including:

• Rolex Sports Car Series (2013)
• V8 Supercars (2013 Austin 400)
• American Le Mans Series (2013)
• Summer X Games (2014–2016)
• IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (2014–2017)
• Porsche Supercup (2014–2016)
• Global Rallycross (2014–2015)
• Stadium Super Trucks (2014–2015, 2019)
• IndyCar Series (2019 IndyCar Classic)
• W Series (2021)
• NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (XPEL 225) (2021–2024)

Cancelled Events

Some events were planned but later cancelled, such as:

• The 2014 V8 Supercars race.
• The 2020 IndyCar Series race due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The 2020 Formula One United States Grand Prix also due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

See also

In Spanish: Circuito de las Américas para niños