AUSTIN (KXAN) — Heading to the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix this weekend? Even if you’re not, there are a lot of fun and interesting things to know about the race track.
COTA boasts features that you may not expect to be on the same grounds as where the world’s most prestigious motor racing competition takes place — like honeybees and a rollercoaster.
Here’s a list of interesting things COTA has to offer, as the site gets ready to host the F1 race for the 13th time.
Bees
Yeah, there are honeybees at COTA. More than 240,000 of them, in three beehives, are cared for by COTA’s beekeeper Cyn.
So far this year, about 3.5 gallons of honey have been collected from the bees. The honey is jarred and passed out to guests. Since the bees have been there, COTA has collected 19.5 gallons of honey, or about 234 pounds.
‘Haturday’
COTA is asking fans to wear their cowboy hats on Saturday, or “Haturday,” to show Texas pride and support for Garth Brooks, the headlining performer that evening.
Amusement park, new rollercoaster
COTA has an amusement park, called COTALAND, that’s still under construction. Two rides are operable now, and F1 attendees will get the first rounds of riding the newest coaster, called Circuit Breaker.
A grand opening date for the full park hasn’t been set yet, but the plan is for sometime in 2026.
Sustainability, waste diversion, renewable energy
According to COTA, the race track site has partnered with Keep Austin Beautiful on a “community-driven approach to waste management and education.” That includes things like staffing compost, recycle, and waste stations with trained attendants to give guidance to attendees on properly sorting waste and disposal to help reduce contamination and increase diversion rates.
COTA’s slogan for the weekend is “More Race, Less Waste!” The track’s partnership with Keep Austin Beautiful “creates a visible, interactive sustainability presence that aligns with both COTA’s broader sustainability goals and Austin’s local values,” COTA said.
COTA is also working to reduce single-use plastic across the facility. According to COTA, it is requiring its concessionaire and external food truck vendors to use BPI-certified compostable or recyclable packaging and serviceware where applicable.
There are also 64 water bottle refill points that have chilled, free water that folks can use to refill bottles and help reduce event-generated waste.
COTA also said that 50% of its grid energy usage is sourced from renewable energy sources, from wind farms across South and West Texas.
Stem activation, relay race
Osprey Collective, a global network of women in sports, entertainment, and STEM, and GirlStart, a nationally recognized nonprofit focused on empowering girls through STEM education, are teaming up for a full-day activation that celebrates girls and women in motorsport and STEM, according to COTA.
It’ll happen on Saturday, with the day starting with a relay race on the F1 track. Participants will run alongside Osprey mentors, athletes and engineers.
There will also be a trophy design activity, where participants will create custom F1 trophies that are judged and awarded by drivers and GirlStart representatives.
The activation will have STEM-related activities throughout the day, as well as brand engagement and mentorship opportunities, giving girls a chance to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, math, and sports.
Tourism info
COTA has a “Travel the Lone Star State” experience inside the event grounds that features booths from towns and cities across Texas. Each booth showcases local foods, arts, and culture, where guests can sample treats specific to each booth’s corner of Texas.
Other fun facts and stats
The F1 U.S. Grand Prix is the biggest annual sports event in Texas and the second biggest in the U.S. (the biggest is tennis’ U.S. Open), according to COTA. It’s also the biggest single weekend sporting event in the U.S., and one of the biggest in the world.
Attendees come from every state and more than 60 countries, and global TV and online viewership exceeds 90 million people during the weekend, with more than six hours of network broadcast time.
Credit: Source link
