Circuit of the Americas

Circuit of the Americas occupies 890 acres of rolling terrain on the eastern outskirts of Austin, Texas, and was the first purpose-built Formula One circuit in the United States when it opened in October 2012. The anti-clockwise layout measures 5.513 kilometres and runs 20 corners, taking full advantage of the site's natural undulation. The lap's defining feature is Turn 1, a blind crest that drops away sharply at the summit of a climb to the summit of the circuit's 133-foot total elevation change, demanding commitment well before the apex is visible. From there the circuit moves through a series of flowing medium-speed corners inspired by sections of Hockenheim and Maggotts-Becketts at Silverstone before a back-straight sequence leads into a tight hairpin and a final sweeping arc back to the start-finish straight. A 251-foot observation tower at the circuit's inner apex has become one of the venue's visual landmarks. The venue accommodates up to 120,000 fans across all spectator areas.

The circuit was conceived by promoter Tavo Hellmund with input from motorcycle world champion Kevin Schwantz and circuit architect Hermann Tilke, who designed the layout. Construction began on December 31, 2010, and the finished track hosted the United States Grand Prix for the first time in November 2012. COTA hosts Formula One, MotoGP, NASCAR, IndyCar, and World Superbikes among its regular events, alongside a major outdoor concert programme at the Germania Insurance Amphitheater nestled within the circuit. The amphitheater holds up to 14,000 people and positions COTA as a year-round entertainment venue rather than a traditional racing facility used only for motor sport weekends.

The WEC visits COTA for the Lone Star Le Mans, a title that connects the Austin round explicitly to the championship's Le Mans heritage. The 2026 race is scheduled for September 6. The circuit's relatively smooth surface and consistent Texan climate in September create stable conditions for endurance racing, and the layout's mix of technical sections and high-speed passages suits the characteristics of modern Hypercar prototypes. COTA sits in the WEC calendar between the Fuji and Qatar rounds, placing it in a critical stretch of the championship where manufacturers' and drivers' titles often come into sharper focus.