Racing Legend Mario Andretti Joins COTA as Ambassador

Mario Andretti tours COTA in Austin, TX.  All images by Circuit of the Americas © 2012


Early this morning, Circuit of The Americas announced that American racing legend Mario Andretti has joined them as an official ambassador.  Mario's unparalleled experience in motorsports makes him a perfect ambassador for COTA, working with them to promoting Formula 1 and other motorsports in Austin.

Mario visited the circuit a few days ago, for a first hand look at his trip to Austin, check out this short video on his experience at COTA:

 

Mario Andretti visits Circuit of The Americas from The Austin Grand Prix on Vimeo.

 

Here's a link to the official release and Dave Doolittle had a chance to learn more in this exclusive Q&A with Mr. Andretti.

Race Preview: Canadian Grand Prix

Rain made the 2011 Montreal Grand Prix a complex afternoon and may effect this weekend's race as well
From one French-speaking city to another, two weeks later and a few thousand miles apart, the Canadian Grand Prix is upon us.

What Montreal lacks in glamour, compared to Monaco, is made up with its glorious track. The Canadian Grand Prix is a super fast and flat track, which means we can expect to see a whole lot more takeovers!

So far most of my prediction for every race has fallen flat, so I will stop predicting. All I know is that there've been six different winners for six different races, Red Bull has to cover up those illegal holes on their cars' floors, Hamilton is hungriest of all for a win, Alonso will want to stay in the lead for the Championship, and also as of this moment, no rain is predicted for the race. Oh, one last thing, I have high hopes for the grid girl outfits for Montreal. 

Au revoir for now.  Catch you after the Canadian Grand Prix in the Race Recap!

K1 Speed Grand Opening TONIGHT

We are pleased to support the official K1 Speed Austin Grand Opening tonight, Thursday, June 7th from 6pm-9pm. This event is open to the public with discounted races ($10 off), food by Wahoo's Fish Tacos, energy drinks by Red Bull (to give you wings on the track), live entertainment and more from Formula Expo and Fiat of Austin! A portion of the evening's proceeds will go to the LIVESTRONG Foundation.

"The electric-powered karts at K1 Speed pack twenty horsepower into a compact package, offering the same karting experience that most professional drivers start their career on. This is the best way to build the fundamentals of racing technique: learning how to take advantage of the racing line, using both braking and accelerator, and the best of all, learning how to pass another driver." More at: http://ow.ly/aPF3r

This is a FREE ALL AGES EVENT! K1 Speed is located near The Domain (2500 McHale Court; off Burnet Road between 183 & Braker Lane). The building is at the end of the cul-de-sac with street parking, parking stalls and extra parking in the lot next to PrintMailPro.

Pass it on and COME AND RACE IT at K1 Speed tonight!


Tickets for USGP On Sale June 10th

// Ticket Information

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. 

// Update

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.



ISLAND OF DREAMS: Montreal


Known locally as the ‘GPC’, the Grand Prix du Canada takes place on the Ile Notre Dame, a man-made island in the St Lawrence River, due east of the French Canadian city of Montreal. An economic and cultural centre, Montreal has been described variously over the years as an important hub for trade and vital to the international congress and convention scene. Every year since 1978, the parkland venue, subsequently renamed ‘Circuit Gilles Villeneuve’ after Canada’s famous son died in Belgium in 1982, has resounded to a Formula One race, with the notable exception of 2009, when it was dropped unceremoniously from the calendar, public outcry causing its reinstatement the following year.

American Le Mans Series Joins COTA Lineup

Circuit of The Americas just announced the newest racing series to join their world-class facility lineup: the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón (ALMS). The first ALMS race will take place in less than a year, with the first scheduled race for spring 2013. ALMS is unique because it showcases numerous automotive manufacturers and car builds (the cars do not necessarily look the same) and it is recognized as the Global Leader in Green Racing while continually focusing on alternative energy solutions.

Circuit President Steve Sexton said:

Our vision is to bring premier sports and entertainment programming to Circuit of The Americas and to partner with motorsports organizations that put a premium on innovation, fan experience and environmental sustainability. The American Le Mans Series—with its highly competitive, customer-focused programming and its well-known commitment to Green Racing—certainly fits that vision. The ALMS at Circuit of The Americas will include an endurance race, which will be another thrilling experience for fans. We know ALMS fans to be extremely loyal and engaged, and we look forward to showing them a great time in Central Texas.

Click to read the full press release

This ties in nicely with the announcement earlier this year that Austin-based entrepreneur John Paul DeJoria is the newest COTA investor and reinforces COTA's commitment to building a multi-purpose facility to showcase the world's greatest sport on wheels.

Here's a quick video overview of the 2011 ALMS series: