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Red McCombs
Ron Howard speaks in Austin about the making of his film RUSH, slated for a Fall 2013 release
The official countdown to the 2012 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ kicked off in Austin, Texas on Thursday with a celebratory luncheon. Hollywood legend and two-time Academy Award®-winning director Ron Howard entertained a packed house of over one thousand attendees, while serving as guest speaker for The Starting Grid luncheon at Austin’s Downtown Hilton Hotel.
A Ferrari Formula 1 car on display at The Starting Grid Luncheon. Photo by Mike Boone.
The following is by AGP friend Mike Boone. Mike is an active participant in the Austin motorsports scene and contributes to this site from time to time. He attended The Starting Grid Luncheon and had this to share about his experience.
The official countdown to the 2012 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ kicked off in Austin, Texas on Thursday with a celebratory luncheon. Hollywood legend and two-time Academy Award®-winning director Ron Howard entertained a packed house, while serving as guest speaker for The Starting Grid luncheon at Austin’s Downtown Hilton Hotel.
Earlier this week I had the privilege of speaking with Austin-based designer Ross Bennett of The Ross Bennett Collection. Ross was selected to design and style the Circuit of The Americas' COTA Girls - stylish ambassadors who will be part of the color and pageantry during race week festivities. The COTA Girls will be unveiled at the highly anticipated fashion show, Shift Into Style, this Friday night at the Bob Bullock Museum.
In this exclusive interview, Ross discusses the design process, his inspiration and experience as a fashion designer, and even drops a few hints at what we can expect to see on the runway this Friday. Of particular note for visitors, Ross talks about Austin's approach to fashion, how you can plan for your trip and what hot spots he likes to frequent. We also spoke about the most fascinating aspects of F1 and how they distinguish this class of racing from other series.
We hope to see you Friday as Circuit of The Americas presents Austin Fashion Week's Shift Into Style!
What: Austin Fashion Week Kick-Off Event, Shift Into Style, presented by Circuit of The Americas
When: Friday, August 10, 2012 from 8:00PM - 11:00PM
Where: Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 N. Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701
Who: Circuit of The Americas, Circuit Events Host Committee, Austin Fashion Week, Alexander Rossi and more TBA
Fashion Lineup: Ross Bennett, Keepers, Ferrari, The Danes Collection and Linda Asaf
Food and Drinks: Parkside, Olive & June, Backspace, Truluck's, Iron Cactus, Siena and Sentelli's
Cost: $85 per ticket
The "Tower Ampitheater" at Circuit of The Americas. Rendering by Miró Rivera Architects
This morning, Circuit of The Americas announced Live Nation as its partner for live entertainment at the newly dubbed, "Tower Amphitheater." This architecturally iconic piece, designed by Austin-based Miró Rivera Architects, will play host to a wide assortment of entertainment programs including music and performance art.
The COTA executive team and Bob Roux, Co-President of North America Concerts for Live Nation, were on hand to help explain the partnership and the vision for the circuit's entertainment program.
Live Nation, the world's largest live music and entertainment company, will work to bring entertainment to Austin's newest and largest performance stage. Scheduled for completion in spring 2013, the venue will host acts in conjunction with the beginning of the 2013 race season.
Though many were expecting the venue to be completed in time for the this November's Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, the venue will not be operational this fall. Following the briefing, I learned from Juan Miró that the 251 foot tower will be operational, allowing visitors to take in the view of the 3.4 mile grand prix circuit from high above.
Circuit of The Americas announced today that individual tickets for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix will go on sale Sunday June 10th, at 9am CST.
Prices range from $159 to $499 depending on seating location. All tickets include shuttle transportation from downtown Austin to the circuit, an unprecedented advantage over other circuits.
Here's a better image from Circuit of The America's site showing the seating locations:
(c) Circuit of The Americas 2012// Full Release
Circuit of The Americas announces on-sale date and pricing for 2012 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ reserved grandstand bleacher seats and general admission tickets
Three-day tickets to prestigious international event start at $159 and include round-trip shuttle service
Austin, Texas (June 5, 2012)– Circuit of The Americas today announced the date when members of the public can purchase three-day reserved grandstand bleacher seats and general admission tickets to the FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™, set for Nov. 16-18, 2012. The soon-to-be-completed center for premium sports and entertainment in Austin, Texas, will host the return of the world-famous Formula 1™ racing series to the United States for the first time in five years. Three-day reserved grandstand bleacher seats and general admission tickets to the highly anticipated event go on sale Sunday, June 10, at 10 a.m. EDT, at www.CircuitofTheAmericas.com/tickets.
Three-day general admission tickets are priced at an affordable $159 per person and allow fans to choose their views of the action from several grassy berms and spacious public areas surrounding the 375-acre state-of-the-art facility designed by Tilke GmbH, the famed German architectural company known for its work on signature F1™ circuits. Three-day reserved grandstand bleacher seats range in price from $269 to $499 per person and offer guests spectacular views from vantage points around the 3.4-mile racetrack, including Turns 2, 3, 4, 5, 11 and 12.
Prices for reserved grandstand bleacher seats depend on location and are detailed in the table that follows (see supplemental table with comparable 2012 Grand Prix grandstand reserved seating pricing on page 3). All three-day reserved grandstand bleacher seats and general admission tickets include round-trip shuttle bus transportation from three designated park-and-ride locations in the greater Austin area. Shuttle bus pick-up/drop-off locations include the corner of 15th Street and Trinity Street in downtown Austin, the Travis County Fair and Expo Center at 7311 Decker Lane, and at a location in southeast Travis County that will be announced this summer.
Seating Area
Three-Day Ticket Price Per Person
General Admission
$159
Grandstand - Turn 11
$269
Grandstand - Turns 2, 3, 4 and 5
$299
Grandstand - Turn 12 (lower rows)
$399
Grandstand - Turn 12 (upper rows)
$499
“Formula 1™ fans and motorsports enthusiasts around the world have eagerly anticipated this news, and we’re excited to launch public ticket sales for our inaugural event in the next few days,” Circuit Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer Geoff Moore said. “We have options to fit every pocketbook.
“Information provided by the public was crucial as we finalized prices for the 2012 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™. We received fan input from extensive customer surveys and through market research from other Grands Prix and comparable premier, international, multi-day sporting events. In the final analysis, we wanted to make this event affordable to F1 fans around the country. Whether they want a reserved seat or the freedom to explore our expansive facility with a general admission ticket, they will enjoy great views and amenities.”
FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ tickets go on sale Sunday, June 10, 2012, at 10 a.m. EDT. To select and purchase tickets, fans should visit www.CircuitofTheAmericas.com/tickets, www.ticketmaster.com (use the search terms “Circuit of The Americas” or “Formula 1 United States Grand Prix”), or dial the Ticketmaster hotline,800.745.3000, to review available options.
Customers interested in premium seating options, such as personal seat licenses with season tickets and on-site parking, can submit information through the “Tickets” section of Circuit’s official website and will be contacted by a sales representative for more information. Circuit of The Americas sales representatives are available Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. CDT at 512.301.6600.
Additional information about Grand Prix transportation and travel packages, facility hours of operation, special events and entertainment, and items permitted inside Circuit of The Americas during the FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ will be announced in the coming weeks.
About Circuit of The Americas
Circuit of The Americas will be a world-class destination for performance, education and business. It will be the first purpose-built Grand Prix facility in the United States designed for any and all classes of racing, from motor power to human power, and be the U.S. home to the 2012 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ Nov. 16-18 and V8 SUPERCARS.
The Circuit of The Americas’ master plan features a variety of permanent structures designed for business, education, entertainment and race use. Its signature element will be a 3.4-mile circuit track. Other support buildings will include an expansive outdoor live music space, a conference center, a banquet hall as well as a state-of-the-art medical facility. Future proposed amenities include a driving/riding experience, a motorsports driving club, kart track, grand plaza event center and tower, and a trackside recreational vehicle park. For more information and downloadable video, audio and photos, visit: www.CircuitofTheAmericas.com.
2012 Formula 1™ Grand Prix Three-Day Grandstand Reserved Seat Pricing Comparison*
Monaco
$520
Brazil
$394
Britain
$351
Australia
$324
United States
$269
Canada
$264
Europe
$247
Spain
$234
Belgium
$208
Singapore
$195
Germany
$194
Malaysia
$179
Italy
$169
*Prices listed are the lowest-priced grandstand seating options for the Grands Prix specified in the table.
205 days until the Inaugural Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™! Let's see what's going on in Austin.
The pits at K1 Speed Austin!K1 Speed, the premiere indoor karting track with locations throughout the US, opened the doors of their first Texas location today. Based on the responses we've seen online, this is the Austin hot spot for all racing enthusiasts! Check out their Austin Facebook page for more details. Our friend, Caulen Lauria, got behind the wheel and set the current fastest lap time at 28.134. Here's what he had to say:
The track, the karts, the people, the organization and the atmosphere are fantastic! They were running a shorter track layout though to accommodate 5 races in an hour. The electric karts are wicked fun. K1 Speed is one of the coolest places in Austin!
Planning your Austin trip and wanting to create some truly memorable experiences? Check out the recently launched Formula Austin venture between Anne Fish and Andy Fish. I recently spoke with Anne at one of our events and her passion for Austin and excitement about F1 coming to town were infectious. Pit Pass even took notice.
Last week I attended the Formula Expo Launch Event and learned more about an Formula 1 expo planned for June 15-17 in Austin. We'll have more to share on this exciting venture in the coming week. In the meantime you can check out their website here.
Pre-asphalt is being laid down at Circuit of The Americas. Here's a sneak peak:
Pre-asphalt being laid on the incline to Turn 1 at Circuit of The Americas - April 20, 2012// F1 RumblingsWere you planning to go to New Jersey next year? Some recent comments from Bernie have people checking their calendar - did he say 2014!? Read more here.
Tavo says he's still seeking ownership shares at Circuit of The Americas however McCombs says he's not selling.
Formula GP Experience with Circuit of The Americas and Pirelli TiresCOTA also announced a fun partnership with Pirelli tires, the exclusive tire provider for F1. They will go on a cross-country tour of sorts to share the excitement for our November race and offer exciting fan experience opportunities!
Last week we spoke to UT Marketing Students and co-hosted a lively networking event with EuroCircle. What will May bring? Stay tuned for announcements next week.
