edge04

So have free room and flights to Austin for the Oct31-Nov2 weekend and want to go to COTA. I see tickets and different turns but if this was the first time attending there would one be better off with just general admission all 3 days? What other tips would you give a first time F1 attendee? Thanks

froggy47

#1 tip bring me.



Have fun & take some pics & post back.

edge04

lol, will do, really looking forward to it. did buy 3 day general admission tickets.

steve J06

I did the 3-day general back in 2012 (inaugural event) and found that the best open seating to be on the hillside at the entry to turn 1. If you get higher up on the hill it is possible to see the cars down through the esses and coming around T16,17,18 complex. We also tried all the other open spots on track (and a few of the seats when the guards weren't looking) and found t19 to be interesting because they are carrying so much speed through and often overdid it, especially in FP1 & 2. If I was paying for a seat it would be in turn 1 though.

Other advice: absolutely have to hit 6th street clubs and walk downtown at the F1 event during the evenings, a real party and worth it to people watch even if drinking isn't your thing. RBR even had an older car on display on a stand and you could get under it and touch the thing, that was cool! We took the downtown shuttle and had reasonable wait times while others who came from the mall location were having 45 minutes or more just to get onto a shuttle bus. Food is pretty good at the track but expect to wait a bit. Lots of food trucks along the back straight, also funny to see the million dollar motor homes with a F458 or Bentley as the 'tow-behind' vehicle along there. Wear sunscreen (yes even in November) and enjoy the spectacle!

edge04

awesome, thanks. Drinking is my thing and I love Austin, been several times but first F1. Looking forward to it. Would imagine falling on Halloween weekend will just add to the fun.

Seeing the motorhomes is one of the things I am most looking forward to.

Looks like there is DT shuttle and train....or are those the same?

steve J06

Yeah, the motto "keep Austin weird" seems about right, so can imagine that it will be a real good time on Halloween! There was no train station at the track that I was aware of so not sure what that may refer to. Recommend Chuey's for tex-mex, not exactly downtown but worth the cab ride. Really did not have a bad meal or experience at all other than severely pounding heads in the AM until we got to the track and quickly forgot about that.

edge04

I see this

http://www.capmetro.org/f1/

http://circuitoftheamericas.com/f1/downtown-shuttle

steve J06

Ah, looks like the bus stop location has changed since 2012. It was at 15th & trinity, near the capitol complex and we stayed near UT. Now it appears to be in the heart of downtown and the metro rail looks like a connector to the northwest 'burbs but we did not deal with that. Also looks like a charge to shuttle to the track? was free. guess Bernie found another way to squeeze a dollar.