The United States Grand Prix has had various venues throughout its illustrious history, but since 2012, the event has been held at the Circuit of The Americas. The facility was purpose-built on the outskirts of the vibrant Texas capital, Austin, and the event has grown stronger thanks to the rising popularity of Formula 1 in the United States, with a weekend attendance of 440,000 spectators recorded in 2022. It is one of three races on U.S. soil for Haas, with the third Miami Grand Prix held in May and the second Las Vegas Grand Prix scheduled for November 23.
The Circuit of The Americas has provided endless thrills since joining the Formula 1 calendar in 2012, and its track, partially repaved for 2024, has been praised by the drivers. The opening corner, Big Red, a hairpin, dominates the venue with its steep climb from the start/finish line, before the circuit plunges into a sequence of high-speed corners inspired by sections of the Silverstone and Suzuka tracks. A long back straight provides overtaking opportunities, which often continue through a technical sequence of corners allowing for multiple lines and side-by-side racing. A long-range multi-apex right-hander leads into a pair of left-hand corners that complete the lap.
For the second consecutive season, COTA will host an F1 Sprint, the fourth of six appearances for the alternative race weekend format in 2024. COTA also kicks off a series of three events in three weekends, with races in Mexico City and São Paulo following in quick succession, marking a crucial phase in the Constructors’ Championship battle.
In the Constructors’ Championship, Haas currently holds seventh place with 31 points, just three points behind Red Bull, having scored points in each of the last three Grands Prix. Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen aim to continue this streak as the record-setting 2024 championship enters its final quarter.
Andrea De Zordo, Technical Director, spoke on the eve of the United States Grand Prix:
“At Austin, we will bring our main update for the final part of the season, which will mainly involve a further development phase of the floor and bodywork. The goal, as always, is to improve aerodynamic downforce to make the car faster. It’s hard to make big leaps in lap time, so we’re talking about small numbers, but in the tight midfield battle, every step is important, and we hope to achieve it. It’s an evolution of our package, not something new, although the car will have a slightly different look. The Circuit of The Americas is a pretty demanding track for cars, tires, and drivers, historically being a very bumpy circuit. Last year, we didn’t score points, but it was a decent race for us, and I believe this will be another good race for us. We’re fighting for P6, and it’s a great feeling. We need to do everything we can to achieve this goal because it would be fantastic for all the team members who have worked so hard to make this season a success.”
In addition to the technical director’s words, Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen also commented on the upcoming weekend:
“The United States Grand Prix is definitely one of the most important races of the year for us; we have many American partners and, of course, our home fans. It’s a race where fans are very knowledgeable about F1, and it’s really motivating to see the support of over 400,000 people throughout the weekend. We have another update to bring to this race, and it’s a Sprint weekend, so every lap on the track will count.”
“I’m really looking forward to racing our home race; obviously, it’s an important race for us, and there’s extra motivation to do well. COTA is a fantastic track and hosts one of the biggest crowds of the year—it’s a huge event. We’ve had good and bad races, but we hope to be strong enough this year because it’s a medium downforce track, which tends to suit us. I’ve had some great battles in the past, and I hope to score some points.”
Expectations and pressure on the American team will surely be high during the upcoming weekend. However, Haas is showcasing its worth, also thanks to Oliver Bearman, who suddenly found himself replacing Magnussen. The change of Team Principal was a smart move that gave the team a breath of fresh air, as it was previously in deep trouble.
Will Haas manage to achieve a good result, confirming the team’s positive momentum?
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