13/10/2025
NEWS STORY
It's time once again to unfurl the Stars and Stripes as Formula 1 heads to Austin, Texas this weekend.
For the event at the Circuit of the Americas, on the calendar since 2012, the teams will have a trio of compounds that features an extra step between the Hard and the Medium-Soft pair. It will be an interesting experiment to see if this could lead to a greater choice of strategies on one of the most complete tracks on the calendar.
The Compounds
The United States Grand Prix will be the second race of the season for which Pirelli is bringing three non-consecutive compounds, the last time being Spa-Francorchamps and the available tyres will once again be the C1 as Hard, the C3 as Medium and the C4 as Soft. In Belgium, bad weather meant it was not possible to find out how this choice might have affected strategy and so the event in COTA could be the first real test of this choice, which sees the use of a harder Hard than last year at the American track, while the Medium and Soft are the same.
The increased performance difference between the hardest compound and the middle one should, theoretically, give rise to two scenarios. If drivers prefer the C1, the slowest but also the most consistent of the three, then they could run a one-stop race combining it with the C3. On the other hand, using the latter along with the C4, with its improved resistance to degradation, would produce quicker lap times but would almost certainly require two stops. Another similarity with the Belgian round is that Austin is also running to the Sprint format, which means teams only have one hour to try the various options over long and short runs, which could add to the uncertainty as to how the weekend might pan out.
In 2024
15 drivers started last year's race in Austin on the Medium tyre, including the trio that made it to the podium, while the remaining five went with the Hard C2. The Soft was never really an option on race day, with only Alpine's Esteban Ocon fitting it on the last lap to pick up a precious extra point in its battle with Williams, for setting the fastest time.
The most popular strategy was a one-stop, with only a handful of drivers on a planned two-stop, as well as Albon who had to pit after just three laps. Although the Medium showed significant signs of wear in the Sprint, in the main event drivers managed to extend the stint with careful management, helped by a Safety Car period, despite the weight from being on full tanks. Less graining than on the previous day also made the one-stop more effective.
The Track
The Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas is run over 56 laps in an anticlockwise direction. The 5.513 kilometre-long track boasts 20 corners, incorporating sections reminiscent of legendary Formula 1 circuits, with corners taking inspiration from Silverstone's Maggots-Becketts sequence, Suzuka, Hockenheim, and even Istanbul Park's famous layout. One of its most distinctive features is a 41metre elevation change, most noticeable with the steep climb immediately after the start line. The variety of corners requires a versatile set-up that can provide top-end speed while still ensuring stability through the more technical sections.
Tyre loading is evenly balanced across the front and rear axles, but lateral forces are greater than longitudinal ones due to the many high-speed corners and rapid direction changes. Tyre degradation is typically thermal in nature and is also influenced by ambient temperature, which can still be quite high in Texas in October. Last year, during the race, the mercury rose above the 30°C mark and next weekend looks set to be similar. The track was partially resurfaced last year, making it smoother and less bumpy than in the past.
Track Evolution
During last year's Austin race weekend, track evolution played an important role. This phenomenon refers to the progressive increase in grip that the track surface provides the more laps the cars run, not only within each session but also throughout the entire weekend. This is due to the rubber left by the tyres on the track surface, which makes the circuit faster, leading to a constant reduction in lap times. Track evolution also affects tyre behaviour, making them less prone to sliding and degradation. This was one of the reasons why last year at COTA, drivers were able to extend their stints on the Medium compound further than suggested by data from the Sprint race, completing Sunday's race with just one pit stop.
Statistics Corner
The United States Grand Prix is the second round on the calendar in the USA after Miami with Las Vegas still to come. Over the year, the event going by this name has visited six different venues: from the inaugural 1959 race in Sebring to the 45th edition held in Austin. However, with 12 races held here, COTA is not the circuit that has hosted the most editions, as that record goes to Watkins Glen (New York), which staged 20 Grands Prix between 1961 and 1980. The famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosted eight races between 2000 and 2007, while four editions took place on the Detroit street circuit (1985-1988) and three in Phoenix (1989-1991). Sebring, in 1959, Riverside, the following year, and Dallas, in 1984, each hosted just one race.
Lewis Hamilton holds the record for the most wins (five in Austin and one in Indianapolis), just one fewer than Michael Schumacher (who won five times at Indianapolis). The two are tied for pole positions with four apiece. Hamilton also clinched two of his world titles in Texas, his third in 2015 and his sixth in 2019. As for the constructors, Ferrari holds the record for the most wins on eleven: two at Watkins Glen, five at Indianapolis, and four in Austin.