It's Official: F1 COTA

"Shane Moore" (snakesm13)
09/21/2016 at 15:39 • Filed to: None

Been saying I was going to go every year, just never did. This year my wife said “Just buy them already, and get me one”. She likes Lewis for his swagger but mainly because I root for Nico. Hopefully no rain this year! Anyone else going? Tips for those who have gone in the past? I got bleacher seats but plan to roam the grass as well.

DISCUSSION (17)

BeaterGT > Shane Moore
09/21/2016 at 15:50

I’ll be there! Hopefully my tickets are in the mailbox when I get home. Gonna be GA’in it.

BKosher84 > Shane Moore
09/21/2016 at 15:58

Unless the troll known as Bernie Ecclestone pulls the plug...

Why?

Because fuck the Americans. That’s why.

Tripper > Shane Moore
09/21/2016 at 15:59

I went in 2013 and sat in the grandstands at T12. It was awesome! Bring sunscreen! Race day is 100% more crowded than the other two days so arrive early if you can. Get yourself some ear protection maybe? I’ve not heard the turbo cars in person, but the V8's were so loud that I could feel it in my chest when the cars were on the opposite side of the track.

Shane Moore > Tripper
09/21/2016 at 16:43

Good advice all around but sunscreen is probably most important! I’m very concerned what the turbo cars will sound like in person.

Tripper > Shane Moore
09/21/2016 at 17:13

I needed sunscreen bad on qualifying day. I found out that only two of the stands sold it and the one close to the entrance was sold out. It took me almost an hour to walk to the other stand, I was a lobster by then.

Shane MacGowan's Teeth > Shane Moore
09/21/2016 at 17:20

Went Friday and Sunday last year (spent saturday morning on COTA’s twitter feed watching the delays). First tip- getting out there can be dicey, the infrastructure really isn’t there. Fri/Saturday won’t be bad, but everything changes race day. Especially if you’re looking at shuttles or anything, it will take FOREVER to leave Sunday. The turbo cars aren’t TOO loud, I didn’t wear earpro for them- but then I’m an idiot about that. Grass area at turn 1 is pretty great, you see the whole front straight, and because it’s so high, you get sightlines to sections of the whole course. Comfortable shoes- you’ll walk a lot, a good backpack you don’t mind hauling a few miles in the heat. And I’d recommend a poncho, just in case :).

Tim (Fractal Footwork) > Shane Moore
09/21/2016 at 17:51

I’m going again this year (same T4 grandstands as you). Review from last year: http://formulafreak.kinja.com/attending-a-fo…

Hit me or Formula Freak up on Twitter if you want to meet up. There should be another Jalop meetup I'm guessing too.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Shane Moore
09/21/2016 at 17:54

I went last year. I recommend a paved parking option in the event that weather is inclement. In the alternative, I’d recommend that your car actually does contain the factory tow-eye inside of it.

We had GA tickets. My favorite spot ended up being on the entrance side of the the hairpin up at T11. The elevation change coming down off of the 9-10 complex is neat to watch, and there was some passing into 11. Also, fewer folks made the trek out to that far corner of the track, and everyone that was up there seemed to be all the more chill for it. The lines for food and beer were also substantially shorter up there.

BeaterGT > Shane Moore
09/21/2016 at 18:11

You won’t need plugs for F1. Maybe for the Ferrari Challenge support race.

BeaterGT > Shane MacGowan's Teeth
09/21/2016 at 18:13

Damn, any more advice for the shuttles? There’s no way I’m springing for a rental and parking pass!

Shane MacGowan's Teeth > BeaterGT
09/22/2016 at 09:41

Unfortunately, there aren’t many options. Maybe talk to a cab company? Remember, there isn’t any Uber in Austin. Last year the line for the shuttles was *literally* a mile long- from the main entrance, down almost to turn 11, and back. We were halfway through when the last train left downtown, and had to get my brother to come pick us up.

Alex Zapata > Shane Moore
09/22/2016 at 09:41

Bring a versatile coat, it’s really cold in the morning if you get there for FP1 and FP3, and I mean reaaaally cold; mid day it gets reaaaaallly hot and the sun burns really bad, if you’re not a local (Texan or south-US) it’s hard to get used to the hotness.

There is this sorta huge bbq place that sets up near the main entrance, (kinda far away from your spot I think, but I think there are similar ones on that side as well) they sell really huge jumbo hotdogs, I didn’t wanna get in line the first year I went but then I tried them and they are fantastic, do the line on Friday or Saturday and try them.

DO NOT try to go around the track on foot, it’s huge and will take hours, we got places at T15 (the best seats in my opinion) and we tried walking to turn 1 and it took about an hour and under the heat and with the elevation changes it’s a bitch and a half.

I haven’t heard the Turbo cars in person, but the V8s needed hefty ear protection (you can hear them from several miles away when FP1 starts).

Twitter and the Live Timing app are your friends, it’s tough to know who’s where doing how well otherwise.

The first years were amazing, a lot of fun and a really good environment (a lot of Mexicans like myself went the first couple of years) after it got diluted by a lot of Americans expecting to see something akin to Nascar and the stuff you heard walking around was... interesting; don’t know what it’s like now.

Do make room in your schedule for the historic races and the Ferrari challenge, if they still feature them, they were the highlights and made it less boring when I went the next couple of years.

Shane Moore > Alex Zapata
09/22/2016 at 11:34

Excellent advice! I am a native Texan from Corpus Christi so I know how finicky the weather is but a jacket will be put on my list. They do have the Historic races this year as well as Porsche Supercup instead of Ferrari challenge.

Shane Moore > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
09/22/2016 at 11:36

Got a parking pass in one of the remote parking lots about 1/2 mile away. I’ll be in my Wrangler Rubicon so maybe I should take a chain to pull people out of the mud! I’m interested to see how long of a walk it is to and around the track.

Alex Zapata > Shane Moore
09/22/2016 at 11:37

Awesome, the Super Cup is much more entertaining.

I don’t know why but it’s always been freezing cold in the morning, but maybe it’s a Texas thing.

Shane Moore > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
09/22/2016 at 11:39

Thanks Tim! I read your review last year when you posted it, then reread it before purchasing my tickets. It was very helpful even though your plans were abbreviated by the weather.

Tim (Fractal Footwork) > Shane Moore
09/22/2016 at 14:16

So much so! I can't wait for it to be sunny, but I still don't regret going due to last year's weather.