Welcome to Part 2 of my F1 Austin Grand Prix Complete Beginner’s Guide! The USGP is set to take the stage in Austin at the Circuit of the Americas race track on October 21-23, 2022 and it is now fast approaching. Last year was my first time ever going to an F1 event and I was at a serious loss for how to prepare. So, I’m writing this three-part guide so anyone that’s going this year will know what to do as well!

• Related Article: F1 Austin Grand Prix: Complete Beginner’s Guide (Part 1)

 

What to Wear?

Since it’s so hot and humid, I highly suggest you wear light colors and a fabric that’s breathable like linen or cotton. Also, there will be a lot of walking so make sure you wear some comfortable shoes that you can walk in all day. I wore a romper one of the days and then a crop top and linen shorts another day and both worked well. 

With all that being said, you best believe there were people that were dressed up like they were going to a fashion show or something. I saw leather pants, heels, cowboy boots, etc. I seriously can’t even imagine how hot you would be in that type of clothing! I would think you would have a heat stroke from how hot it is outside. 

 

Where to Sit at the F1 Austin Grand Prix?

Photo Courtesy of http://circuitoftheamericas.com/maps

• Turn 1: There are many places to sit but I saw a lot of people sitting in between the Main Grandstand and Turn 1 which makes sense since it’s where the race starts and you can see all the cars drive up the hill onto Turn 1. We were there during the beginning of Saturday’s qualifying race but then decided to move after 20 minutes. It was just overly crowded and you couldn’t see the cars very well. If you do want to sit here, I suggest you come super early and stake your place.

 

• Turn 16: We then found a green patch near Turn 16 and it was kind of nice because it was next to a beer garden so it was easy to get drinks. It also wasn’t that crowded so we got to sit up pretty close to the track. We stayed there until the end of the qualifying day but all of us agreed it was a little hard to see the cars.

 

• Turn 18-19: After the race was over, we went walking around and stumbled upon this grassy hill that had a long straight-away right between Turn 18 and Turn 19. It had a great very of the track and since it was on a hill, no one was really blocking your view. We knew that this is where we wanted to be for the actual championship race on Sunday. So, the next day, we went straight towards the green hill and sat near Turn 18. That is a fantastic spot and I would recommend it to anyone trying to get some good pictures, especially during the Drivers’ Parade.

 

What Type of Chairs Can You Bring?

This was probably the most painful planning part for me. I knew it was going to be hot and extremely sunny so I bought one of those chairs that had a type of canopy over it. The only problem was that on their website, it states that no “canopies” were allowed but technically, my chair wasn’t a full canopy.

I knew I wanted to be comfortable and I wanted to be in the shade so I risked bringing my chair knowing that I might have to throw it away if they didn’t let me in with it. Well, the good news is that they did let me in with it and I wasn’t actually the only one with this type of chair. So, if you’re looking to buy the same type of chair, I would go for it! But for the most part, I would say 99% of everyone else had a regular camping chair.

If you don’t want to bother carrying a chair around, I would suggest bringing a picnic blanket at least so you have something to sit on. I brought both my chair and picnic blanket on the final race day just in case I felt like sitting on the floor. 

 

How’s the Food Situation at F1 Austin Grand Prix?

Let first off by saying that all the food options are super expensive and taste mediocre at best. The first day we were there, we ordered burgers because it was the only line that was moving fast and seemed like the easiest option. I would absolutely try to sneak food inside! On the actual race day, we were smarter and snuck in McDonald’s plus some snacks and it was so much better (and cheaper) than what COTA was offering. If you get caught with it, you’ll just have to throw it away. But if you manage to get your own food inside the venue, it would be worth it. 

 

What to Bring Inside COTA?

There’s a whole FAQ section of what you can and cannot bring inside COTA. If you are going all three days, the best way to find out what you can bring is just to ask and look around on your first day. So by the next day, you have a better idea and are more prepared. Below is a list and pictures of what we took with us.

1. Chair with Canopy
2. Sunglasses
3. Fan
4. Hydroflask (at your own risk)
5. Frozen Water Bottles
6. Earplugs
7. Tissue
8. Sunscreen
9. Hat
10. Professional camera (if you want)
11. Small snacks (at your own risk)
12. Blanket
13. Backpack (I brought a regular black one. It did not have to be clear but you should always double-check the website since it can change from year to year)

This is the chair that I got and it was solid. It’s a little on the heavier side but well worth the weight to have some shade in the Texas sun.	Don’t forget your sunglasses. You will need them! They do sell some at COTA but they are the expensive hundreds-of-dollars kind.
If you have a fan, you might as well bring it. You need something to keep you cool.	The FAQs technically said that you cannot bring thermoses in but we asked one of the security guards if it was okay and he said it was fine. So, the next day I filled it with ice and brought it in with me. Please note, what happened to me might not happen to you so bring it at your own risk.
The best idea is to freeze all your water bottles the night before. You are allowed to bring your own sealed water bottles so might as well freeze them to keep you cool.	I read on a couple of forums to bring earplugs so I bought these foam ones but ended up not needing them. It wasn’t that loud for me, but if you have sensitive ears or are bringing children with you, I suggest you buy some.
If you have ever been to any big festival or outdoor sporting event, then you must know what the porta-potty situation is like. About halfway through the day, all the toilet paper seems to run out so make sure you bring your own backup just in case.	I mean it goes without saying, right? Bring as much sunblock as you can. If you are wearing make-up and need something for the face, I really suggest this one at Trader Joe’s or you can buy the original Supergoop version here.
Bring a hat! I brought my LA Dodgers hat but I suggest a lighter color and a dry-fit material would be best.	Professional cameras are allowed but tripods are not. I brought my Sony A6600 and a zoom lens.

 

Complete Beginner’s Guide to F1 Austin Grand Prix (Part 3) Coming Soon…