Join Us for "Buxton's BIG TIME Bash" on Friday

// Do you remember this?

Austin, MAKE IT HAPPEN! from The Austin Grand Prix on Vimeo.

Last summer we attended the Canadian Grand Prix and were elated to attend Will Buxton's Tweetup at a Montreal pub. It was there that we met Will, Karun Chandhok, "Charlie Whiting" (on Twitter, at least) and loads of people excited about Formula 1 returning to America! Will's been a great supporter of the return of the USGP - he helped us shoot the video above, which was aired at a vital Austin City Council meeting, he tuned into our city council meetings while in paddocks around the world, and he even wrote a letter to our City Council during one of the numerous approval meetings.

It should come as no surprise then that Will is looking forward to meeting his fans and friends at a pub this Friday, November 16 to enjoy a few beers in Austin! So we've partnered with him to host a great event at Fado Irish Pub in downtown Austin. There will be a karaoke contest for TW Steel watches and the event will make a positive impact on the local community, as we're asking for a $5 donation at the door to go towards our charity partner, Meals on Wheels and More.

So please join us this Friday night at Fado Irish Pub at 8:00PM CST to thank Will for his support of the F1 USGP and enjoy the company of F1 friends from around the world!

// Click HERE to be directed to the full info page!

Paddock Preparations Underway for the USGP

// Click here for more images from the Paddock preparations at Circuit of The Ameircas

Driver Autograph Sessions at USGP

Paul di Resta (L) and Nico Hulkenberg (C) sign autographs for Formula 1 fans (Image courtesy of Sahara Force India)

Driver Autograph Sessions have been published and are listed below. We also included the teams' Twitter handles as we've found that can provide the most current information. As with all scheduling, the following timetable is tentative and subject to change. Be sure to check for updates while at Circuit of The Americas.

// Friday

11:30-11:50AM: Sauber F1 Team // @OfficialSF1Team

11:50-12:10PM: Lotus F1 Team // @Lotus_F1Team

3:30-3:55PM: HRT F1 Team // @HRTF1Team

4:45-5:00PM: Marussia F1 Team // @Marussia_F1Team

5:00-5:30PM: Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber F1 Team Test Driver) // @EstebanRacing

// Saturday

2:15-2:30PM: Red Bull Racing // @RedBullRacing

2:50-3:10PM: Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team // @MercedesAMGF1

3:10-3:30PM: Scuderia Toro Rosso // @ToroRossoSpy

3:30-3:50PM: Vodafone McLaren Mercedes // @TheFifthDriver

4:00-4:20PM: Caterham F1 Team // @MyCaterhamF1

4:40-5:00PM: Scuderia Ferrari // @InsideFerrari

// Sunday

9:10-9:30AM: Sahara Force India F1 Team // @ClubForce

10:10-10:30AM: Williams F1 Team // @WilliamsF1Team

"1" Documentary to Premiere During F1 Week in Austin

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.