While the Formula 1 Paddock - Teams, Staff, Media, Hospitality, and the thousands of people required to put on a Formula 1 weekend - continue to prepare for Friday's first practice sessions at Circuit of The Americas, a number of fan-oriented events are scheduled throughout the day on Wednesday to entertain and engage fans.
// Lewis Hamilton on NBC's The Today Show
7:00AM - 8:00AM CT
Your local NBC Channel
Current Formula 1 World Championship Points Leader and Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team Driver Lewis Hamilton will join NBC's The Today Show between 7:00-8:00AM CT on Wednesday morning to share his excitement for this weekend's US Grand Prix in Austin. NBC has shared that Lewis will be outside the Today Show Plaza in New York City with a Mercedes F1 car. Will Lewis be behind the wheel, or will he be pointing out the aerodynamic features on foot? We'll have to tune in to find out. It's also a good time to follow @F1onNBCSports and the hashtag #F1onNBC on Twitter, as they'll share behind the scenes photos and videos from the event throughout the day.
// Red Bull Racing, Infiniti Live Street Demo in Downtown Austin
High Noon
Congress Avenue and 7th Street
Fans are invited to line the streets of downtown Austin in front of the Texas State Capitol - Congress Avenue at 7th Street specifically - to watch, hear, and feel the power behind Red Bull Racing's title-winning Formula 1 car, the RB7. Red Bull Racing driver Daniel Ricciardo will pilot the famed machine and teammate and Four Time F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel will drive the 560-horsepower, F1-tech influenced Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge prototype in the Heart of Austin for the perfect mid-day treat.
The event is free and open to the public, and certain to bring Austinites working in the downtown corridor running to their office windows to see what in the world that racket is outside.
More information on this "Austin-tatious Display of Power" is available via this official release from the Infiniti Red Bull Racing website.
// Austin Fans' Forum 2014
6:00PM - 7:00PM CT
Doors at 5:30PM CT
Gibson Showroom, 3501 S. Congress Ave.
(Go up the hill in the Penn Field Complex; Gibson Showroom is past Opal Divine's restaurant)
Brian Sullivan of CNBC will host the COTA Fans' Forum in association with the Grand Prix Investors Fund, with drivers Felipe Massa (Williams Martini Racing), Sergio Perez (Sahara Force India F1 Team), and Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber F1 Team) in attendance, answering questions, signing autographs, and sharing stories with the audience. American Formula 1 Driver Alexander Rossi will also stop by the Forum to say "Hi" to fans and sign autographs.
This event is a fan favorite and the brainchild of Oliver Weingarten, former Secretary General of the Formula One Teams' Association ("FOTA"). Although FOTA disbanded in 2013, Oliver recognized the value in bringing fans closer to the F1 Drivers and Teams in an intimate Q&A session. This year, in conjunction with Circuit of The Americas and Grand Prix Investors Fund, fans will again be able to learn more about their favorite Drivers, mingle with other fans, and enjoy some of Austin's famed live music by Rodney Parker at the Gibson Showroom, with drinks provided by Tito's Handmade Vodka and Topo Chico.
For those of you not in Austin, you will still be able to watch a live stream from Crash.net, the official Media Partner of the Forum, on www.crash.net and the Circuit's site. The Fans' Forum will also be available for online viewing after the event.
Attendance is free of charge, but fans must have registered via bit.ly/AUSTINFANSFORUM before the event. Guests can catch a ride to the Forum from the Austin Convention Center (Cesar Chavez & Trinity streets) at 4:45PM and 5:30PM, with return trips to the Convention Center at 7:00PM and 8:00PM.
The event starts promptly at 6:00PM, with doors opening at 5:30PM.