Circuit of The Americas: Track Map Layout & F1 Lap Record

Turn one

Start 2012 US F1 GP

Turn one in Austin is one of the greatest first corners of the season. The run from pole is 500m but the track goes steeply uphill, with the turn-in point for the corner at the crest.

Gear ratios will be spaced out here to give the driver strong acceleration up the hill without losing any speed at maximum velocity. At the top of the hill the Circuit of the Americas very wide and drivers can choose different lines for the SS.

Just when the driver brakes for the hairpin, the load running through the car is suddenly released, which can cause massive instability if the engine is not completely in phase with the mechanical set-up of the car.

Turns 2 to 4

The SS of Circuit of the Americas

After the first corner the driver goes back up through the gears to reach seventh for turns 2, 3 and 4, which are taken flat out with an average speed of 280km/h. Similar to Maggots and Becketts at Silverstone and the Esses at Suzuka, the driver needs to be precise on the throttle and carry the speed all the way through rather than brake and accelerate.

The engine needs to be correspondingly smooth throughout the turns, delivering constant levels of torque. If the engine is too aggressive the car will be unstable and ‘bitey’ on turn in, which will only lose time and wear the tyres quicker.

Turns 11 to 12 Similar to Abu Dhabi and Korea, the longest straight is not the pit straight. In Austin it is the burst between turns 11 and 12. The straight here is 1,016m, meaning the engines will spend a touch over 13secs at wide open throttle with a top speed of around 315km/h, which will be held for 2.5secs.

Since this straight runs in a different direction to the pit straight, selecting seventh gear will depend on wind direction on the day. Selection for the one may compromise end of straight speed for the other, so ambient conditions will be carefully monitored throughout Friday practice to find the optimum ratio.