VENUE GUIDE

Getting there

Circuit of the Americas, Austin

By the F1 Weekend team · Sources: Formula 1 timetable (gate times estimated from it); GetYourGuide, Viator and Tiqets listings

Located 15 miles southeast of downtown Austin, the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) is a purpose-built facility that experiences massive congestion during F1 weekend. Successful navigation requires choosing a transport method that utilizes dedicated lanes or arriving well before the morning rush to avoid hours of gridlock.

Circuit of the Americas — Track Map

How to get there

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Official COTA Shuttle

Highly Recommended

Operating from Waterloo Park (Downtown) and the Travis County Expo Center, these shuttles use dedicated bus lanes to bypass traffic. This is the most efficient way to reach the Grand Plaza gates, with multi-day passes offering the best value over single-day bookings.

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Rideshare (Uber/Lyft)

Flexibility

Rideshares drop off at the McAngus Lot, requiring a 15-minute walk or a short tram ride to the main entrance. While convenient for arrival, leaving after the race is difficult due to spotty cell service and extreme surge pricing that can often exceed $100.

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Driving & Parking

Groups & Locals

Official parking passes (Lots A, T, or N) must be purchased well in advance as on-site sales are not available during the race. Be prepared for a slow exit; it is common for cars to remain in the circuit lots for 2-4 hours following the Sunday Grand Prix.

Estimated gate times

Estimated: about 2 hours before the first track action each day. Check your ticket for the official gate times.

Thursday

First on track: F1 Academy · Practice 12:25

Gates open ~10:25 CDT

Friday

First on track: Masters Historic Racing · Masters Historic · Practice 09:45

F1: Practice 1 12:30

Gates open ~07:45 CDT

Saturday

First on track: Porsche Carrera Cup North America · Porsche Carrera Cup · Qualifying 09:10

F1: Qualifying 16:00

Gates open ~07:10 CDT

Sunday

First on track: Masters Historic Racing · Masters Historic · Race 2 09:25

F1: Grand Prix 15:00

Gates open ~07:25 CDT

Things to Do Between Sessions

Curated activities in Austin matched to every F1 session gap in the race weekend schedule.

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