COTA Formula 1, one of the best F1 races I have ever seen...

The F1 race at COTA was epic. Wife and I were truly impressed with the crowd size, the level of enthusiasm. We have attended every year since they opened and 2017 was the best...by far. Lewis said that the USGP has an increase in attendance (+30%?).

Now, info that I wish we had known about seats etc.

For the archives: The $$ seats are worth it. Wife and I have sat in many places from fields to loge boxes over the years. The best seats (aside from a private box) are in the GA sections in the shade. The best specific sections are 206-209, club level. Those seats look into the Ferrari/ Redbull and MB pits. Parking matters as well, A lot. If you were to buy seats as described and the A lot your total tab for all 3 days is around $2500.

 

If only the sound was better!!!

 

+30%. Is that you or Lewis talking? Looked marginally bigger than last year to me.

 

It looked superb on TV. I'd like to go to COTA one day.

 

My friend texted me from the race and said his Dinan BMW M4 is louder and sounds better.

 

I cancelled my trip next year after I heard the Michael Buffer intro.

Wow-- what a cartoon of America and not in a good way.



"Keeeemeeee ryyyyyyyyyyy ko nen from scooooooooood area fuuuuuuurrr are eeeeeee!"

 

Mr. Mayor....the whole Buffer thing was fun. Goofy, but still fun. The delivered him in a new green AMG GT-R. He was met by to very lovely gals who walked him to the stage. what was funny was BILL CLINTON was watching the whole thing. Imagine what he was thinking....(or don't).

I know these seats and the parking weren't cheap. Totally worth it. The experience sitting at club level in section 207 or 209 was a true peak experience for the Mrs and I. everything was literally right in front of us.

The people watching is always good at a f1 race. There was a line of English gents behind us who sang God Save The Queen at full volume. It was hilarious and yes they were drunk.

Hats off to COTA and the event organizers. Spectacular.

 

I was watching the international feed and the announcers were trying to avoid laughing at it. Then they said "well, you can tell we are in America".

Not everyone thought it was funny to equate pro wrestling with Formula one racing.

However I did like Stroll's intro

"And now a driver who is here only because of his father's money. From the great white north-- the Cunack kid-- the king of the PlayStation ---Laaaaaaaaaaaaance Stroooooooooooooolllllll! "

 

A few years ago the promoters of Monster Energy Supercross hired Buffer to do the opening ceremonies. After a few races of "Lets get ready to rumble" I tuned out for the rest of the season. This was a tough one for myself considering that I use to race motocross and supercross at the pro level.

I myself am planning on going next year GA so i can move around to get multiple angles of photography.

 

I had great seats at 12.
Thought the experience was fun, great racing, crowd was large and into the action.
Vintage racer sounded good. Couldn’t hear your help think as they went by. As it should be.
Fun to see a husbands, wives, kids, significant others, etc all wearing different driver gear.
Not all Ferrari supporters or all Red Bull supporters.
A little surprised not more American celebs were not hanging out in the garage and paddock.
Only saw Michael Douglas, a few C listers and some ex drivers hanging about back stage.

COTA still has issues with Fan Zone, food and bev lines too long, transportion/paths/too few bridges to get around.

But overall a fun weekend.

Austin is a great city with lots of things to do, great music and food to round out the race weekend.

 

Those intros were pretty horrific. I thought Lance's was funny. "The heartbreaker from Canada." LOL. Yeah, talk about not meeting expectations and breaking everyone's heart from Canada.

 

oh, there was one complaint...the food was absolute crap.

what they fed us in prison was better! Matter of fact when they served me the crap they were calling quesadillas I said, " the food we had in prison was better"...the whole line laughed.

Even in the lounge, the food was gross. I hope COTA gets that right next year...

(how many of you believed the prison joke...HAH)

 

That intro was tragic.

 

Did anyone go to the Friday night FCA party?

 

GA is the way to go at COTA. Not even close.

 

Didn't hear about this til Vance posted it. I guess the concert wasn't the only cluster**** this weekend.

F1 ticket holders leave blistering reviews of parking situation around COTA http://fw.to/00rfCvc

Title seems a little off, because they really talk more about shuttle problems in the story.

 

Yes, The FCA reception was very nice, but my phone was full so no pictures....but the lovely tall blond from last year was snapping so they are out there on her website??

Andy will know...

Rifledriver and wife, Bertocchi and Enzo's secretary.....I took John McCann from COTA Guest Services,, and he was thrilled to be there!!

Dale Watson played, and then I went to The Broke Spoke....

 

I stayed for Stevie Wonder, somehow found myself in the Green Room, with an open bar???

Left with double handfuls of those nice YETI beer coolers, they gave one with every beer!
So, I kept throwing them under my sofa as time went on.......

 

I was "outta there" on Saturday.....Jimmie Vaughan was expecting me, down at C Boys.

"Yes as a matter of fact you are on the Guest List!"
I think the door man made that up, but....whatever works!

The Derailers were at the Spoke, to start the evening....

 

I will load my photos down to Texas Section thread.....let this be attendees discussion!

I did buy the last Ferrari skateboard!
It seemed like a good deal, next to the $50 driver hats!

I lost one of those to my date...LOL!
Went after another one......

Those complaints were from the "concert Only" crowd, they should have well known there was 100K of people, already in front of them!!
I am guessing Race Day was 130K??

Equal or better, than 2012??

 

What's striking is the inconsistency of how they do things from one gate to the next. After Qualifying they closed re-entry to the T3 gate (right by the biggest campground), with employees standing around there, and told them to go to T9, where they had only 1 bag checker person and a 1/2 mile+ long line. People were also having trouble getting in there because they were told they hadn't scanned out when they had, and people who hadn't scanned out were having no problem at all. Meanwhile I was able to cruise right in at T6 at a service gate where nobody checked my bag or even looked to see if my ticket was for Saturday. At the same time, the gate by the Main GS was completely deserted and wide open, with the path all the way to the concert wide open as well. My wife came in from Lot F via the route under the back straight tunnel, and was never asked for a ticket or a parking pass.

Just bizarre.