F1: Well over 400,000 for USGP, will be biggest sporting event in world – Epstein (2nd Update)
Organizers now say 440,000 are expected to pass through COTA’s gates over the 3-day USGP weekend
An impressive number and so far the weather forecast is calling for perfect weather all three days
October 17, 2022
Bobby Epstein says the USGP at COTA this weekend will be “the biggest sporting event in the world this year—and certainly the largest F1 event in their 70-plus year history.”
Bigger than the Indy 500 and 24 Hours of Le Mans!
Never in the history of motorsports has an event had the entertainment lineup that is planned at the USGP where 32 musical bands will keep fans entertained throughout the race weekend at the Circuit of the Americas where over 400,000 will be in attendance.
Austin has gone from F1’s sole U.S. destination for a decade to one of two this year and will be one of a trio from 2023. However, Epstein believes the three events are “uniquely different” and they don’t hurt each other.
“I think the fact that Miami and COTA are spread as far apart on the calendar that they need to be to be almost commercials for each other (helps both races), and makes you excited for the other event,” Epstein told AutoWeek. “Vegas will be so unique: late night, in the desert, with all those lights, it’ll be a spectacle.
“Certainly, for the racing fan, we’ll always get those (at COTA), and the atmosphere you get here, 40 hours of programming across the weekend, then with the camp grounds and the concerts and the displays… each of them (U.S. races) have their own unique character.”
“It took more than five years, but we’re finally at the point where we’re sustainable the rest of the year and F1 is able to complement our overall year from a business point of view,” said Epstein. “The amusement park is coming along. We’ll have 30+ rides, it’ll be a true theme park, and from our vantage point it takes advantage of our existing assets: we have space, we have the concession stands, 30,000 parking spaces. And Austin is growing very fast, but the nearest family destinations are about 75 miles away in San Antonio, so I think Austin is ready for more destination entertainment.”
October 1, 2022
COTA expects to break its attendance record for the upcoming USGP F1 race.
Last year saw 400,000 come through the gates for the weekend, and this year they expect to exceed that number.
How?
Because the city added a 5-lane road to the track and the circuit has made infrastructure improvements to handle the massive crowd.
Meanwhile, the IndyCar finale at Laguna Seca had 10,000 to 20,000 for the weekend. It was embarrassing, given it was their big grand finale with the championship on the line.
It’s really too bad that Liberty Media was unable to acquire the series.