Trip Planner
Introducing the United States Grand Prix
Sunday December 6 2026
What to expect in this guide
• Where is the Circuit of The Americas?
• What’s the circuit like?
• How many days should you plan for?
• How does a race weekend work?
• Best booking resources for F1 trips
Estimated Reading Time: 2-3 minutes
The United States Grand Prix takes place at the Circuit of The Americas, often shortened to COTA, around 15 miles southeast of downtown Austin, Texas. The circuit was built specifically for Formula 1 and sits in the small community of Elroy, surrounded by open Texas countryside.
The Circuit of The Americas is one of the more distinctive layouts on the Formula 1 calendar. The lap has 20 corners and runs anti-clockwise, with around 40 metres of elevation change between the lowest and highest points. The opening sequence is the most striking section: a steep uphill run from the start-finish line into Turn 1, a tight left-hand hairpin known as Big Red. The fast esses through Turns 3 to 6 echo the Maggotts-Becketts complex at Silverstone, and the long back straight ends at Turn 12, the heaviest braking zone on the lap and one of the main overtaking spots.
The grandstands at COTA are mostly uncovered. The Turn 19 Grandstand is covered, and the Main Club Level of the Main Grandstand is also covered. The race takes place in October, when central Texas weather is generally warm and dry, though the occasional autumn rain shower is possible.
The Formula 1 sessions run alongside support races. Recent line-ups have included F1 Academy, the Porsche Carrera Cup, and Masters Historic. The full schedule is published on F1.com about four weeks before the race.
How many days should you spend at the United States Grand Prix?
Plan for three full days, Friday to Sunday, to see every Formula 1 session and the support races.
United States Grand Prix weekend schedule at a glance
A typical Formula 1 weekend runs Friday to Sunday. Friday is practice. Saturday is final practice and qualifying. Sunday is the Grand Prix.
Each year, a handful of Grand Prix follow a sprint format. On a sprint weekend, Friday includes practice and sprint qualifying. Saturday includes the sprint race and Grand Prix qualifying. Sunday is still the Grand Prix. Sprint weekends rotate around the calendar each season, so check the current year’s schedule on F1.com.
Best booking resources for F1 trips
Planning the trip is the fun part for some and a chore for others.
If you would rather not handle all the details yourself, we can do that for you.
Take a look at our Grand Prix ticket & travel packages »
Prefer to do it all yourself? You’re welcome to take everything you’ve learned here and book your own trip. These are good places to start. They’re reliable, easy to use, and usually the best value.
Tickets
Grand Prix Tickets is the agency I’ve trusted for years. They’ve always been reliable, easy to deal with, and quick to help if something comes up.
Hotels
ZenHotels is one of my go-to sites for hotel bookings. It pulls prices from many smaller sites you might not know about, which makes it good for finding deals. I also check Expedia and Booking.com when I want more options.
Excursions
Viator is full of walking tours, attraction tickets, and local experiences. It’s especially handy if you’re heading to a new Grand Prix city. It’s a good place to find extras to add to your trip.
Getting to the United States Grand Prix
In this guide you'll learn about how to get to Texas for the United States Grand Prix.
Where to stay for the United States Grand Prix
In this guide we'll help you choose the best place to stay during your trip to the United States Grand Prix.
Choosing a grandstand at the United States Grand Prix
In this guide we'll help you choose the right grandstand for your United States Grand Prix experience.
Getting around at the United States Grand Prix
In this guide you'll learn about the different options for getting around during the United States Grand Prix.
