The 2022 Formula 1 World Championship is in the western hemisphere again a third time for the first of three rounds in the Americas. The first one this weekend will be the US Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, followed by Mexican GP at the end of the month, and the Brazilian GP in mid-November. The US GP has been held at COTA since 2012, except in 2020 when the race was cancelled due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Besides Austin, other American cities which have had Formula 1 rounds in the past have been Detroit/Michigan (1982 – 1988), Los Angeles/California (1976 – 1983), Dallas/Texas (1984), Las Vegas, Nevada (1981 and 1982), Riverside/California (1960), Sebring/Florida (1959), Watkins Glen/New York (1961 – 1980), and Indianapolis/Indiana (2000 – 2007). This year, Miami in Florida joined the list and next year will see Las Vegas having a round again. In total, there have been at least 50 rounds of F1 held in America though it is not so apparent.
COTA has one of F1’s bumpiest tracks because of subsidence of the surface. The locations of the bumps also change each year so there’s no point for the drivers to remember where they are! The other is strong winds, which are expected this weekend, that can also upset the balance of racing cars.
The track was partially re-asphalted in 2020, with a ‘milling’ process also taking place last year to shave off the worst of the bumps. However, the uneven surface could make it necessary to run a higher ride height, influencing aerodynamic performance. The teams will need to study the data carefully to find the best set-up.
According to Mario Isola, Pirelli’s Motorsport Director, the 5.513-km track has a balanced layout when it comes to the demands placed on cars and tyres in terms of traction, braking and lateral loads. “It’s mainly a flowing track that the drivers love; nonetheless, there are some challenging sections that shouldn’t be underestimated.”
Several corners at COTA were inspired by iconic turns from tracks in Europe. For example, Turns 3 to 6 are like Silverstone’s Maggotts and Becketts corners; Turns 12 to 15 resemble Hockenheim’s stadium section; and Turns 16 to 18 remind drivers of Turn 8 at Istanbul Park.
COTA is one of 8 tracks on the 2022 calendar that is fully anti-clockwise, alongside Jeddah, Miami, Imola, Baku, Singapore, Interlagos and Yas Marina. It is tied with Baku for the third-most corners on any F1 track in 2022, with 20, behind Singapore (23) and Jeddah (27).
The track requires quite high downforce and also has a big DRS effect, which allows running reasonably large wings. The sequence from Turns 2 and 7 are taken at an average speed of over 250 km/h, with continuous cornering for over 800 metres – one of the longest stretches of cornering on the calendar, with g-forces building through each corner.
Drivers will generate over 5g under braking for Turn 12, one of the biggest of the season. This means that a driver weighing 70 kgs will experience around 350 kgs of centrifugal force when they brake hard. With so many corners and several long straights, it’s also one of the busiest laps for gear changes, with 72 taking place during each lap.
“The US Grand Prix was a 2-stopper last year but with a completely new range of tyres, it might be a different story this time round – thanks to new regulations, different weather conditions and other variables on track,” suggested Isola.
He revealed that the teams had tested the 2023 slick tyre prototypes during the second practice session at COTA this week. “The testing during the extended session will help us fine-tune the compounds for next year before the teams get to try the definitive versions after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix,” he said.
With Max Verstappen’s victory in Japan giving the Dutch driver an unbeatable position in the Driver’s Championship, attention this weekend turns to the fight for the Constructors’ title. The Constructors’ Championship has been settled at the US GP on 7 occasions in the past. Red Bull Racing can clinch a fifth Constructors’ Championship at COTA but if Ferrari outscores them by 19 points or more, then they will need to wait another round.
Historically, Ferrari has been the most successful team at the US GP with 10 victories, 2 ahead of McLaren and Lotus which have had 8 wins each. Among the drivers, the one with the most victories at this event is Lewis Hamilton who has topped the podium 6 times.
