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The Paddock is growing as drivers, team personnel, and media settle in at the new Grand Prix facility.
Viewing entries by
Kevin Olsen
A new, properly dubbed "action documentary" will be screened at a special presentation at the Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas on November 15. Presented by SXSW and Circuit of The Americas, the debut of "1" will take place on the eve of the first Formula 1 events in Austin.
The film tells the tale of the dangerous and fast times of the 1960s and '70s, a period of racing where man and machine fought tirelessly on track. As technical improvements yielded considerably faster cars, the scales tipped as speed out paced driver safety. At an alarming rate, talented drivers began to lose their lives as control of these magnificent machines became more difficult with each race.
Known as the golden age of F1, the '60s and '70s defined the character of the sport: a battle of man and machine taking place at the world's most exotic locations, encircled by the most glamorous and elite personalities. With the dangerous nature of the sport came incredible stories of triumph and failure, turning drivers into icons of sport as the capacity of human performance was tested each race.
To capture the essence of this period, the film includes rare archival footage and first hand accounts from an incredible collection of guests such as Bernie Ecclestone, Max Mosley and Prof. Sid Watkins, along with 12 F1 world champions including Niki Lauda, Sir Jackie Stewart, John Surtees, Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi, Jody Scheckter, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel.
The premiere of "1" kicks off with a special red carpet arrival of world champion drivers and several special guests from the F1 community. Held at Austin's iconic Paramount Theater on Congress Avenue, the premiere will further ignite excitement for the return of the United States Grand Prix after a five year absence.
Tickets for the premiere are available for purchase from the Paramount Theater:
Click Here To Buy Your Tickets to See "1"
For more details and to join the growing conversation about the film on Facebook or Twitter, be sure to like their page and use the hashtag #1thefilm as details about the full release schedule slated for Spring 2013.
// Contest Alert
We're very excited to offer you this chance to see the new "1" feature documentary! The Austin Grand Prix is giving away 10 tickets to see "1" at the Paramount Theater for the premiere event. Here's how you can win one of 5 pairs of tickets:
1. In the comments below, tell us who some of your favorite F1 drivers and personalities are from this Golden Age.
2. "Like" our post about "1" on our Facebook page: Facebook.com/AustinGrandPrix
3. Retweet our Tweet about "1" on Twitter: Twitter.com/AustinGrandPrix. Use the hashtag #1thefilm!
4. "Like" our related photo on Instagram: Instagram.com/AustinGrandPrix
Any of the methods will get you an entry. Winners will be drawn at random on Wednesday, Nov. 14. Winners will be notified in the manner that they enter the contest and if the winner does not claim the tickets by 9AM CT Thursday, Nov. 15, they will be given away to another entrant. Winner responsible for all other taxes and fees, if any, associated with the ticket giveaway.
The McLaren Technology Center in Woking, England (Patrick Gosling)
The Austin Grand Prix is honored to present this special guest blog by Sir Peter Westmacott, the British Ambassador to the United States. Sir Westmacott is a strong supporter of the technology industry in England and is committed to the expansion of high-technology into new sectors of the British Economy. Sir Westmacott will be hosting a special F1 TechRally symposium and Best of Britain reception along with the British Consulate-General and the UK Trade & Investment department in Austin next Friday, Nov 16, during the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ weekend.
// American Dream
Today is a special day in America: Election Day. An opportunity to open up the doors to the future for our country as the Presidential race concludes. Following some reflection on the year's significant events, I looked back at the passing of American astronaut Neil Armstrong. On July 20, 1969, Armstrong became the first man to walk the moon, captivating the attention of the world as he took the most important steps of the century and redefined the bounds of human progress. Behind him, a team of talented Americans in the fields of design, engineering, science and mathematics propelled Armstrong to achieve the impossible.
Participants take off towards Turn 1 through the fog at COTA's first event, Formula Run
// Formula Run
Early Saturday morning amidst a thick fog and heavy traffic, the first official race to be held at Circuit of The Americas was nearing start. Organized by RunTex founder Paul Carozza and the RunTex Foundation, the Formula Run event drew about five thousand avid runners and race enthusiasts to COTA.
The participants, a mix of Austin's running-regulars and race fans, all lined up on the starting grid, ready to complete a lap of the 3.4 mile circuit. As traffic delays caused many to arrive later than expected, Chairman Bobby Epstein and RunTex founder Paul Carozza welcomed participants to the track. Echoing the visions of COTA from early on, Epstein declared his praise that such an event was the first to be held at the circuit, solidify its partnership as a venue for all types of events, motor-powered and human powered.