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COTA Adding More Seats for November F1 Race

Due to high demand, Circuit of The Americas has just announced additional grandstand seats to be released to the public.

The new Grandstand bleacher seating positions include Turn 9, which slopes toward Turn 10 (the second highest elevation) and gives "an incredible view of the cars a they speed downhill towards Turn 11."

The second option is Turn 11 West which is "the perfect location to spot overtaking cars as they rush down the hill from Turn 10 at speeds of 180 MPH to take the hairpin Turn 11 before accelerating full throttle down the longest straighwaty of the track."

If you have already purchased General Admission tickets, you can call Ticketmaster Fan Support at 1.800.653.8000 with the option to trade in your tickets for bleacher grandstand seating of equal or greater value in these two new turns.

// UPDATE - 5:00PM

Some individuals are reporting additional costs to upgrade to Turn 9 ($290) and Turn 11 West ($260) when they call Ticketmaster.

New aerial photograph of Turns 9 & 11 grandstands. Image courtesy of COTA.

COTA May Add More Tickets

Circuit of The Americas track map. Image courtesy of COTA.

We've been fielding many great questions about tickets for this November's Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas. Recent reports from COTA are that ticket sales have been "brisk" and we've heard stories of popular grandstands being sold out. Yesterday we received a heads up from a fan that the only available tickets were General Admission.

COTA just announced they will consider adding new grandstand sections to accommodate customer requests for three-day reserved grandstand bleacher seats. Circuit Vice President of Public and Community Relations Julie Loignon said:

We have experienced incredible demand for reserved grandstand seating tickets, and customers have quickly purchased our available inventory. As such, we are considering installing more reserved seats between Turns 9 and 10 and between Turns 11 and 12 in place of other types of seating that had been planned for those areas.  We will release more information about new grandstand inventory and when additional reserved seats might be available for purchase as soon as possible.
 
We continue to see steady sales of personal seat licenses with premium seating and on-site parking at the Circuit. We are extremely pleased with how things are going overall, since our public ticket sales began less than a week ago.

Just a reminder that you should purchase your tickets from COTA by visiting their dedicated ticket site, www.COTAUSGP.com.

Also to note, COTA will release additional information about Grand Prix transportation and travel packages, facility hours of operation, special events and entertainment, and items permitted inside the circuit in the coming weeks.

Tickets for USGP On Sale June 10th

// Ticket Information

Circuit of The Americas announced today that individual tickets for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix will go on sale Sunday June 10th, at 9am CST. 

Prices range from $159 to $499 depending on seating location.  All tickets include shuttle transportation from downtown Austin to the circuit, an unprecedented advantage over other circuits. 

// Update

Here's a better image from Circuit of The America's site showing the seating locations:

(c) Circuit of The Americas 2012// Full Release

 

Circuit of The Americas announces on-sale date and pricing for 2012 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ reserved grandstand bleacher seats and general admission tickets

Three-day tickets to prestigious international event start at $159 and include round-trip shuttle service

Austin, Texas (June 5, 2012)– Circuit of The Americas today announced the date when members of the public can purchase three-day reserved grandstand bleacher seats and general admission tickets to the FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™, set for Nov. 16-18, 2012. The soon-to-be-completed center for premium sports and entertainment in Austin, Texas, will host the return of the world-famous Formula 1™ racing series to the United States for the first time in five years. Three-day reserved grandstand bleacher seats and general admission tickets to the highly anticipated event go on sale Sunday, June 10, at 10 a.m. EDT, at www.CircuitofTheAmericas.com/tickets.
 
Three-day general admission tickets are priced at an affordable $159 per person and allow fans to choose their views of the action from several grassy berms and spacious public areas surrounding the 375-acre state-of-the-art facility designed by Tilke GmbH, the famed German architectural company known for its work on signature F1™ circuits. Three-day reserved grandstand bleacher seats range in price from $269 to $499 per person and offer guests spectacular views from vantage points around the 3.4-mile racetrack, including Turns 2, 3, 4, 5, 11 and 12. 
 
Prices for reserved grandstand bleacher seats depend on location and are detailed in the table that follows (see supplemental table with comparable 2012 Grand Prix grandstand reserved seating pricing on page 3). All three-day reserved grandstand bleacher seats and general admission tickets include round-trip shuttle bus transportation from three designated park-and-ride locations in the greater Austin area. Shuttle bus pick-up/drop-off locations include the corner of 15th Street and Trinity Street in downtown Austin, the Travis County Fair and Expo Center at 7311 Decker Lane, and at a location in southeast Travis County that will be announced this summer.
 

Seating Area

Three-Day Ticket Price  Per Person

General Admission

$159

Grandstand - Turn 11

$269

Grandstand - Turns 2, 3, 4 and 5

$299

Grandstand - Turn 12 (lower rows)

$399

Grandstand - Turn 12 (upper rows)

$499

 
“Formula 1™ fans and motorsports enthusiasts around the world have eagerly anticipated this news, and we’re excited to launch public ticket sales for our inaugural event in the next few days,” Circuit Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer Geoff Moore said. “We have options to fit every pocketbook.
 
“Information provided by the public was crucial as we finalized prices for the 2012 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™. We received fan input from extensive customer surveys and through market research from other Grands Prix and comparable premier, international, multi-day sporting events. In the final analysis, we wanted to make this event affordable to F1 fans around the country. Whether they want a reserved seat or the freedom to explore our expansive facility with a general admission ticket, they will enjoy great views and amenities.”
 
FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ tickets go on sale Sunday, June 10, 2012, at 10 a.m. EDT. To select and purchase tickets, fans should visit www.CircuitofTheAmericas.com/tickets, www.ticketmaster.com (use the search terms “Circuit of The Americas” or “Formula 1 United States Grand Prix”), or dial the Ticketmaster hotline,800.745.3000, to review available options.  

Customers interested in premium seating options, such as personal seat licenses with season tickets and on-site parking, can submit information through the “Tickets” section of Circuit’s official website and will be contacted by a sales representative for more information. Circuit of The Americas sales representatives are available Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. CDT at 512.301.6600.
 
Additional information about Grand Prix transportation and travel packages, facility hours of operation, special events and entertainment, and items permitted inside Circuit of The Americas during the FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ will be announced in the coming weeks.
 
About Circuit of The Americas
 
Circuit of The Americas will be a world-class destination for performance, education and business. It will be the first purpose-built Grand Prix facility in the United States designed for any and all classes of racing, from motor power to human power, and be the U.S. home to the 2012 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ Nov. 16-18 and V8 SUPERCARS.
 
The Circuit of The Americas’ master plan features a variety of permanent structures designed for business, education, entertainment and race use. Its signature element will be a 3.4-mile circuit track. Other support buildings will include an expansive outdoor live music space, a conference center, a banquet hall as well as a state-of-the-art medical facility. Future proposed amenities include a driving/riding experience, a motorsports driving club, kart track, grand plaza event center and tower, and a trackside recreational vehicle park. For more information and downloadable video, audio and photos, visit: www.CircuitofTheAmericas.com.
  
 
 
2012 Formula 1™ Grand Prix Three-Day Grandstand Reserved Seat Pricing Comparison*

Monaco

$520

Brazil

$394

Britain

$351

Australia

$324

United States

$269

Canada

$264

Europe

$247

Spain

$234

Belgium

$208

Singapore

$195

Germany

$194

Malaysia

$179

Italy

$169

  
 
 
 














*Prices listed are the lowest-priced grandstand seating options for the Grands Prix specified in the table.



Austin Pit Stop - May 5, 2012

Another bustling news week in Austin, Texas. Let's jump right in.

// Tour with Tilke

Very early in the week we shared the story and photos from our on-track tour with Tilke Engineering out at Circuit of The Americas on April 20. In case you missed it, it's here.

// Drag Racing, Hotels and Asphalt, Oh My!

On Monday, Alexis DeJoria, Tequila Patrón Toyota Camry Nitro Funny Car Driver and daughter of John Paul DeJoria, held a press opportunity at the circuit. The Austin American-Statesman was in attendance and spoke to Alexis about her hopes to one day race at COTA.

On Tuesday, COTA announced their partnership with Austin-based Hotels For Hope and the initiative to donate $2 of every hotel room reservation during the November F1 race to two Austin charities, Partners in Education and Boys & Girls Clubs of Austin. 

An aerial photo of COTA by Lance Armstrong 5/2/12The following day, we got the nitty gritty details of the composition and detailed work that goes into the newest development at the circuit - the asphalt. You can start to see the new layer very well in this photo that Lance Armstrong tweeted on Wednesday.

// Not All Green Pastures

On Friday, Autoweek took a closer look at the executive makeup of COTA and the PSL pricing strategy. Today, the promoter of the Canadian Grand Prix shared his hesitations of both US races:

I am one of the skeptics who is not convinced that (Austin) is going to happen this year and I am more than skeptical about New Jersey.

He insisted it was not out of fear, but instead thought three North American races would be good for the sport, from a "visibility standpoint."

// An American Return to F1

Alexander Rossi on FOX Austin News 5/4/12Next weekend we'll witness the first American to participate in a Grand Prix weekend in almost five years as Caterham test driver Alexander Rossi will replace Heikki Kovalainen in Friday's practice session in Spain. Austinites were treated to an exclusive interview with Alexander on FOX Austin news last night. The "Friday Sports Extra" included on-screen interviews with Mr. Rossi, Austin-based motorsports commentator Jonathan Green and COTA President Steve Sexton while teaching Austinites about Formula 1 and COTA.

Alexander said:

America has produced some of the best athletes in the world and there's no reason why we can't compete in Formula 1.

By being the test driver for Caterham F1 and having the opportunity to be part of the team going to Austin and being in the American presence for the return of Formula 1 to the States is phenomenal for me. It's a fantastic opportunity to kinda bring, ya know, the love and support and passion that America has back to Formula 1.

We need an American driver in the [F1] series so Americans have someone to get behind and fully support and on top of that we need an American team.

I hope that not only am I able to get into Formula 1 but in the near future there will be more than one American Formula 1 driver.

// More Details on Tickets

The men behind a new Austin-based podcast for gearheads, Speed City Podcast, sat down with COTA VP of Sales, Todd Fleming. Jon and Les spoke with Todd about RV accommodations, general admission tickets, transportation in and out of the circuit and more. Great news, as it confirms that 3-day general admission prices for the November F1 race will be comparable to an Austin City Limits Festival 3-day ticket, of between $150-200.

Here are some highlights from the 45 minute podcast:

RV Spots - still working out exactly how many; will work similar to PSLs; people own a slip for up to 15 years; annual payment required; ability to stay overnight; 70-80 slips from initial outset with opportunity to expand in surrounding land like NASCAR offers; RV parking between T 11 & 12 (DRS zone) with abilities to see T 6-11.

General Admission Tickets - Individual ticket sales will start in less than 30 days, or the beginning of June. General seating will include uncovered grandstands, bleacher style seats; berm seating throughout but specifically on the east of the circuit in T 5-10; near the Grand Plaza between T 16-18; a large grassy knoll between T 17-18.

PSL Preference - If you put down $100 for PSLs but decided not to move forward, Todd suggests you leave it down because you will have access to the reserved and general admission grandstand tickets before the general public. Meaning, grandstand seating which is not sold to PSL holders will be pre-sold to those who put a $100 deposit down, and then will go on sale to the general public. Again, this should all take place in the next 30 days according to the interview. Todd went on to explain that PSLs help fund and maintain the facility; help COTA garner other races & extend the contracts with the race series that we already have. That's what the PSL is in place for; hence why PSL sales are important.

Under 200 days to go now until the Formula 1 United Stated Grand Prix in Austin! Stay tuned as we inch closer to the November race.

Save Your Seat In Line at COTA

Seating diagram of Main Grandstand provided by Circuit of The Americas.

This evening COTA announced a waitlist-style deposit option for "Select Seating" at the circuit, and released a seating diagram for the Main Grandstand.  Though the details provided by COTA are relatively vague as to the location of these seating options There are still many details yet to be released, but fans are able to place a deposit of $100 through the Circuit's Paypal account to reserve their position in the waitlist for these future purchase opportunities and "seating licenses."

Combined with a website redo, Seat Licensing information and FAQ can be found here at the Circuit's new website.

Detailed information about location and pricing of these seating options are not specific, and no seating chart or map has been provided but the seating diagram helps to understand the general locations and types of options available.  Additional information was provided by COTA to John Maher at the Austin American-Statesman:

The seat licenses will be for all racing events at the circuit for the next 15 years. A license does not include the price of tickets for those events. The price for the seat license varies according to the proximity to the finish line and the amenities offered.

In the main grandstand, which will have 26 rows, those amenities will include stadium seats, in-seat food and beverage service, priority on-site parking and a direct view of three big video boards. The main grandstand features a view of the start/finish line and the pit area.

There will also be select seating available at two spots that figure to provide some of the most dramatic views of the race — Turn 1, and Turns 15 and 16.

The seat license does not include the price of tickets, though from the FAQ it says it will be refunded if you decline to purchase later.  It does not indicate whether or not the $100 seat deposit purchase will eb applied towards any future monies spent with COTA.

The newest rendering from Circuit of The Americas, released Jan. 21, 2012The most interesting part of this story is the ticketing portion of the timeline which goes well into the summer of 2012.  The priority based waitlist system went active at 10:00PM January 21, 2012 and lasts until Febuary 13; after that, the website indicates, a survey will be sent out and then sales representatives will contact individuals who made deposits in order to process transactions beginning March 1, 2012.

Those fans hoping to lock in Grandstand tickets before they make travel arrangements will likely be quite frustrated as those tickets are not expected to go on sale until Summer 2012.  Details on regular grandstand tickets and general admission have not been annouced as of yet.

We will continue to update you with progress as more details are released.

// UPDATE 01

We received a more-detailed seating diagram, posted it above and updated the article to reflect this information.