Motorsports

every circuit F1 visited in the United States

Published

6 hours ago

October 16, 2024

After decades of trying and failing to make it big across the Atlantic, Formula 1 has finally managed to achieve an all-important foothold in the United States. It might not have an American driver to get behind any longer, but F1’s presence Stateside is growing; last year’s calendar featured three races in the US for the first time since 1982. The trio of Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas appears to be set in stone for the next few years.

Not all have been successful. Races at permanent venues in the 1960s and 1970s soon made way for a plethora of cookie-cutter street circuits, the view dominated by walls and little else in the way of identifiable landmarks. It wasn’t until 2012 that F1 found a ‘permanent’ home in the US once the Circuit of the Americas was complete, and in recent years the destination-city locales have been added back into the mix thanks to the influence of owners Liberty Media. There’s been a few golden geese in that time that F1 has failed to capture, but clinching races in Miami and Las Vegas is a colossal boon for the championship.

But which of the 12 circuits to have hosted an F1 grand prix in the States is best? Each one has been graded out of 10 on its layout, the quality of its racing, its longevity in F1, and its legacy – including driver reaction, how memorable the grand(s) prix were, and its impact on motorsport.

Are you ready? Then we’ll begin.

12 – Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada

GPs: 2
Years: 1981-82
In one sentence: F1 in a literal car park

Michele Alboreto, Tyrrell 011-Ford, leads Mauro Baldi, Arrows A4-Ford

Photo by: Motorsport Images

The signage for Caesars Palace is visible from the part of The Strip incorporated into the modern-day Las Vegas circuit, although the car park in which Sin City’s first F1 effort took place is no longer there. Instead, a shopping mall sits atop the Caesars Palace Grand Prix’s former locale, so that the two-year period of indiscretions (commonly referred to as ‘races’) that took place there remain buried for all time.

Maybe that’s too harsh, but it’s hard to think of the Caesars Palace races as little more than a rushed effort to have a race in Las Vegas – seemingly for the sake of it. Initial plans to involve the Strip did not work out, and thus Caesars Palace CEO Bill Weinberger and F1 ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone set upon the plan to create a cramped circuit in the hotel car park. The ‘E’ layout? Weinberger recalled years later that he traced around his hand upon a placemat and suggested it as a starting point. Ecclestone told him there might only be the space for three fingers’ worth of track.

There were no defining features of the track: flat, barren, and carparky. Asphalt was freshly laid for the occasion, but the circuit had little going for it other than the honour of holding two title deciders in 1981 and 1982: Alan Jones winning the ’81 race denied team-mate Carlos Reutemann the chance to become world champion, while Keke Rosberg’s fifth place in 1982 was enough to secure the title. But the drivers hated the course, suffered with heat exhaustion, and it made the hotel little more than a heavy financial loss. The race was supposed to remain on the calendar for 1983, but was sensibly discarded.

11 – Fair Park, Dallas, Texas

GP: 1
Year: 1984
In one sentence: Cars, drivers, and track crumbling in 38-degree heat

Keke Rosberg, Williams FW09 Honda

Photo by: Motorsport Images

History perhaps isn’t harsh enough on the sole Dallas Grand Prix, which instead is looked at as a zany, light-hearted, attritional jaunt on a slightly hot day. In reality, Dallas was colossally underprepared for an F1 race, and bizarrely decided on July – deeming extreme heat preferable to rain – to host it. Dallas’ promoters wanted to use F1 to showcase the city as “world-class”, but the TV pictures showed little beyond the concrete.

The problems were twofold: the heat, and a temporary track surface that crumbled like a day-old pastry. The circuit had already started to break up during Friday practice; letting a field of Can-Am cars race around it on the Saturday afternoon prompted a series of repairs to go on overnight. The drivers even considered a boycott given the state of the track, but there was a prevailing feeling among the field of “we’re here, so we might as well race”.

Both the drivers and the cars struggled in the 38-degree heat. That Keke Rosberg dragged his Williams FW09 to victory rather underlined the attritional nature of the race; the Finn had hooked a water bottle up to the inside of his helmet to stay cool in the conditions. The other drivers struggled; Nigel Mansell fainted trying to push his Lotus across the line after a gearbox failure. Multiple drivers spun off thanks to the breaking track and the little run-off available; furthermore, the local population around Fair Park found the noise contemptible. The Dallas race never happened again, as the organisers went bankrupt in early 1985.

10 – Phoenix, Arizona

GPs: 3
Years: 1989-91
In one sentence: Dull 90-degree fest that only Jean Alesi could make interesting

Jean Alesi, Tyrrell 018 Ford leads Ayrton Senna, Mclaren MP4/5B Honda

Photo by: Motorsport Images

There were two Phoenix layouts used in the race’s three-year stint in F1: the 90-degree-heavy version used in 1989 and 1990, and the 1991 variant that implemented a hairpin and a bit more corner variation. Neither layout was particularly interesting, although the older version gets a little bit more of a free pass simply because the race was put together so late; Phoenix only agreed a deal in January 1989 to inherit Detroit’s June slot that year.

The 1990 race, now held in March, was the highlight of Phoenix’s time on the calendar. Jean Alesi’s monoshock Tyrrell 018 worked wonders on a street circuit, and gave the young French-Sicilian a platform to battle fiercely against Ayrton Senna over victory. Alesi didn’t quite manage to chisel a maiden win from Senna’s grasp, but at least firmly put himself on the F1 map. Without Alesi’s heroics, there’s little to say about the course. The heat in 1989 and the roughness of the circuit gave the venue a reputation as a bit of a car breaker, and accommodating more than 15,000 spectators was increasingly tricky.

Bernie Ecclestone paid the deal off early at the end of 1991, cancelling a projected 1992 race and instead choosing to take F1 back to South Africa once apartheid was over.

9 – Miami, Florida

GPs: 3
Years: 2022-current
In one sentence: Swaggering Miami Vice-inspired showmanship, distinctly average circuit

Daniel Ricciardo, RB F1 Team VCARB 01

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Securing a race in Miami was a colossal statement of intent from F1’s ownership, although it admittedly faced prolonged legal opposition from the residents in the Miami Gardens area of the city, which was eventually quashed. F1 had been looking to Miami as a potential venue for years, and a possible race along Biscayne Bay (where Formula E had raced in 2015) and PortMiami came to nothing. Instead, plans were shifted to the Hard Rock Stadium – which ultimately delivered on a race in 2022.

The race itself has always felt very secondary in Miami. Instead, it’s more of an event; a teal and pink-tinged affair underpinned by art deco motifs, American sporting stars in attendance, and the eye-watering luxury packages that only the very wealthy can afford. The painted water in a mock marina added the requisite level of cheese; watching Sky F1’s Craig Slater splash about on dry land live on TV only served to demonstrate the ridiculousness.

And we’ve barely discussed the Miami circuit itself: it isn’t bad, per se, but it just has a number of key irritations. Run-off is excessive, it’s a bit too reliant on DRS zones to make passing happen, and the Turn 14-15 chicane appears to be there for the sake of being annoying. The first sector is great and rewards rhythm and momentum, but the rest is all distinctly milquetoast in feel.

8 – Las Vegas, Nevada

GP: 1
Years: 2023-current
In one sentence: Overindulgent pricing structure but solid racing thus far

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB19

Photo by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Images

Las Vegas above Miami? We have a very small sample set for both events: just three races for Miami, and just the one for Vegas – but of them, Las Vegas’ return to the F1 calendar was a much more exciting on-track affair than any of Miami’s offerings, and that’s largely down to the unique climatic conditions of having a race so late at night. It gets cold in the desert, and the smoothness of the asphalt made it very difficult to get the tyres heated up. Hence the topsy-turvy qualifying order, where both McLarens fell in Q1 and both Williams made it to Q3.

Getting a race on the Strip has been a goal of F1’s for decades; the layout that the championship has settled on for Las Vegas may look like an upside-down pig, but it’s been an effective one so far. Like Miami, the circuit itself isn’t the important bit; holding an event that rivals Monaco for glitz and glamour (and sleaze?) is the main attraction. Tickets outside of general admission command princely sums north of $1000. A ticket from the Red Bull Energy Station for the weekend? $12,000. Back-of-the-sofa money to those who can afford it, but to us common schmoes it seems like a way to capitalise on profligacy.

Excess aside, Las Vegas does appear to be a worthwhile addition to the calendar. The race in 2023 was good, albeit at a silly time, and the notion of exclusivity commands high prices outwith the general admission tickets. And if people are willing to pay those prices, good luck to them.

7 – Detroit, Michigan

GPs – 7
Years – 1982-88
In one sentence: “We have Monaco at home”

Alain Prost, McLaren MP4/2C

Photo by: Sutton Images

On balance, perhaps Detroit’s riverfront street circuit was not the most convincing F1 venue, but it nonetheless delivered a handful of good races across its seven-year spell. With the aim to improve the image of the city and make it more internationally recognised, Detroit became the third American host of a grand prix in 1982. With a chicane and a tunnel overlooking the water, it appeared to be an attempt to mimic Monaco – and the tight Turn 5 hairpin was so slow that drivers struggled to keep their cars from stalling. Sensibly, that hairpin was discarded for future iterations of the race.

Many of the early criticisms about the track – poor organisation, the fact it had never hosted a race before F1 got there, the painfully slow hairpin, and the bumpiness of the circuit – had effectively faded away by its follow-up event in 1983. The races were often spiced up by the nature of the course removing some of the advantage that the turbo runners had; the 90-degree corners helped keep the naturally aspirated cars in the fight as they were not beset by the effects of turbo lag.

But a general lack of investment in the roadways around the course started to instigate track break-up, particularly at Turn 2 in the 1985 race. Alain Prost was one of the key critics of the Detroit circuit, labelling it “slow, boring, and no test of driving”, and the drivers had begun to hate it more and more as things deteriorated. It eventually fell off the calendar after 1988 as Detroit did not wish to stump up for new pitlane facilities, and a planned move to Belle Isle did not keep Detroit on the F1 calendar.

6 – Riverside, California

GP: 1
Year: 1960
In one sentence: Rapid but deceptively simple venue now lost to time

Stirling Moss, Lotus 18 Climax

Photo by: Motorsport Images

An admission: this writer is a big fan of Riverside, even though it was long destroyed before he was even born. And yet, there’s something majestic in its apparent simplicity; images and video of cars from 1960 sliding through the uphill Esses with increasing slip is a great spectacle. It would play quite well today, actually; Riverside walked where COTA could run with its own undulating series of left-right kinks.

Riverside only appeared on the F1 calendar once, in 1960. Stirling Moss won that race, although had not preserved his pole position and had been overtaken on the opening lap by Jack Brabham. The Australian then started to ease off when his overfull fuel tanks started to leak onto his exhaust, allowing Moss to reclaim the lead. Unfortunately, the race was not a success; the United States Grand Prix moved to Watkins Glen for the following season.

The nature of Riverside, with its long back straight and several fast corners into slow hairpins, meant that it was a frequent proponent of heavy incidents – sometimes fatal. Long after F1 left, the final corner was reprofiled with a dog-leg to open up the radius – although this did little to stop collisions as a result of reliability issues. The circuit was closed in mid-1989, with a shopping mall and housing built on top of it.

5 – Sebring, Florida

GP: 1
Year: 1959
In one sentence: Sprawling airfield course that became revered sportscar venue

Maurice Trintignant, Cooper T51 Climax

Photo by: Motorsport Images

The current Sebring layout, which still retains the runway back straight of the original version, is quite a long lap at 3.741 miles. It pales in comparison to the layout used in F1 in 1959, however; the 5.192-mile course around the former Hendricks Army Airfield contributed to Stirling Moss’s three-minute pole time in its one grand prix. Here, Bruce McLaren took his first grand prix win, as Moss’s gearbox packed up after five laps.

There’s a series of funny footnotes in Sebring’s single appearance on the F1 calendar: Harry Schell took third on the grid after apparently finding a shortcut on his final qualifying lap, there was the only appearance of Tec-Mec on the entry list, and Rodger Ward somehow got permission to enter a Kurtis Kraft midget car sporting a 1.7-litre Offenhauser engine – tiny compared to the 2.5-litre engines of the day. It was perhaps unsurprising that Ward was 43.8 seconds slower than Moss in qualifying.

Sebring’s appearance here isn’t necessarily due to the spectacle of its F1 race, but rather as it became an iconic venue in the world of sportscars. The dual-surface nature of the circuit has offered a unique challenge for decades, and the 12 Hours of Sebring is one of the most important events in the US racing calendar.

4 – Indianapolis, Indiana

GPs: 8
Years: 2000-07
In one sentence: Road course on hallowed IndyCar ground, saddled with memories of tyre woe

The start of the race with only six cars

Photo by: Steve Swope / Motorsport Images

Little preamble is needed for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, given its importance in the global motorsport sphere. But the idea of F1 going racing at a circuit known for Indy car racing (the clue rather being in the name) always seemed incongruous at best. In the new millennium, F1 made its ‘grand’ return to the United States, as a road course was put together at Indianapolis with a technical infield section. The oval’s first corner was used as the final turn of the road course – which later became a problematic inclusion.

The first reviews in 2000 from the drivers were that the circuit was good fun, although the plethora of hairpins perhaps slowed things down a bit too much. But the banked corners started to prove problematic as F1’s tyre war between Michelin and Bridgestone hotted up; Ralf Schumacher suffered a heavy incident as his Michelin tyre gave up in 2004, suffering injuries to his back, and then endured a similar fate in 2005 that resulted in the subsequent boycott from the Michelin teams.

And that, sadly, is what F1’s time at Indianapolis is most remembered for. It finally looked like F1 was finding a home in the US, but the 2005 race derailed all of the good will from local fans and the race was quietly dropped before 2008. The road course looks a little different these days with most of the hairpins gone, but it usually delivers exciting IndyCar races each year.

3 – Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas

GPs: 11
Years: 2012-current
In one sentence: Collection of revered corners in modern Tilke-influenced design

Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo C43

Photo by: Alfa Romeo

F1 is gearing up to host its 12th race at the Austin course, and appears to have finally found its feet within the US. The Circuit of the Americas is something of a collage of some of F1’s most-loved corners – Maggotts/Becketts, Istanbul’s Turn 8, Hockenheim’s Sachs Kurve (for some reason) all stitched together into a Tilkean ribbon of tight corners designed to produce overtaking.

It’s perhaps a bit overengineered with that in mind; speaking cynically, it feels like the circuit’s designers were throwing every idea at the wall to see what would stick. Yet, it seems to be well-received, so COTA certainly has that going for it. The excess of run-off presents the usual difficulties of the modern-day circuits, as does the relative lack of background furniture as COTA was built in a vast expanse of nothing – under which is soft soil which appears to be accelerating the decline of the track surface.

But it’s hard to ignore the race’s impact. Races at COTA are generally good, although perhaps suffer from an over-reliance on DRS along the back straight, but the corners aft of that produce some opportunity for experimentation with different lines – yielding some switchback moves. It’s not the best circuit F1 has visited in the US – but it’s one of the most important.

2 – Long Beach, California

GPs: 8
Years: 1976-83
In one sentence: Much-loved sea-side circuit with a penchant for weird results

Andrea de Cesaris, Alfa Romeo 182 leads Niki Lauda, McLaren MP4/1B-Ford Cosworth, Rene Arnoux, Renault RE30B, Alain Prost, Renault RE30B, Bruno Giacomelli, Alfa Romeo 182, Gilles Villeneuve, Ferrari 126C2, Nelson Piquet, Brabham BT49D-Ford Cosworth and Keke Rosberg, Williams FW07C-Ford Cosworth, at the start

Photo by: Motorsport Images

There’s just something about Long Beach that everybody seems to love. Never mind that it permanently looks somewhat run-down, or the worrying about the fountain flower display whenever IndyCar visits; it just seems to produce genuinely good racing. This was the same in F1, as nobody won at the iconic Shoreline Drive course more than once – such was its inclination to shuffle the pack. Although the layout changed multiple times across F1’s time at Long Beach, with several changes to the entry and exit onto Shoreline Drive, the spine has remained the same throughout.

Remember when Andrea de Cesaris threw his car off the road from second in 1982, when he apparently lost concentration? Or John Watson winning from 22nd on the grid in 1983? Ricciardo Patrese progressing from pre-qualifying to score Arrows’ first point in 1978? Long Beach had plenty of these little moments of wonder, and has continued to be a mainstay of the US racing scene beyond F1’s departure at the end of ’83. A turbocharged car never won the “United States Grand Prix West”.

The Long Beach mantle moved to CART in 1984, as the F1 race was barely profitable. It continues to host IndyCar races to this day, having become one of the flagship races on the calendar.

1 – Watkins Glen, New York

GPs: 20
Years: 1961-80
In one sentence: Classic course that F1 sadly outgrew

Ronnie Peterson, March 711 Ford

Photo by: Motorsport Images

Before COTA, there was Watkins Glen. Initially a small circuit when F1 first raced there in 1961, it grew in size with the addition of The Boot in 1971 and the reprofiling of the opening corner, largely forming the layout that remains in place to this day. ‘The Glen’ has a fantastic flow to it; the uphill ascent from Turn 1 to Turn 4 rewards bravery on the throttle, and the run to Turn 5 – with or without chicane – yields plenty of passing opportunities.

There’s a dark side to it, however. F1 played host to the grisly deaths of Francois Cevert and Helmut Koinigg, and even to this day it’s too reliant on Armco barriers to define the lines despite the appearance of better solutions in recent years. Even more tragic was that Cevert had won so brilliantly two years prior, in 1971. It was a circuit that, in the early days, needed to be tamed; that Jim Clark and Graham Hill had such a knack for it rather underlined the skill required from the drivers.

After F1 departed, Watkins Glen fell into disrepair. Thankfully, renovations in 1984 kept the circuit in use and it remains one of the US’s most revered venues in motorsport. NASCAR and IndyCar have both since visited, the former having stuck around with the Boot-less short course.

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Motorsports

FIA acts for US GP on suspicions over front bib parc ferme trick

Published

10 mins ago

October 16, 2024

NewsAdmin

Growing suspicions of a cunning Formula 1 car ride height adjustment trick under parc ferme conditions has triggered an immediate FIA response from this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, Motorsport.com can reveal.

Sources have revealed that discussions have taken place between several teams and the FIA over recent weeks to discuss concerns that one unidentified outfit may have found a clever way to adjust front bib clearance between qualifying and the race.

Being able to raise and lower the bib, even by a small amount, between qualifying and the race would deliver a noticeable benefit in terms of perfecting the different ride height requirements between a low-fuel single-lap run and the needs for a heavier car over a race distance.

However, making such an adjustment would be a clear breach of F1’s technical regulations that outlaw changes to the aerodynamic configuration of the car – apart from the front wing – once the car is in parc ferme.

Article 40.2 of F1’s Technical Regulations outlines the components that can be changed, and the only changes in terms of bodywork that are allowed are: “The aerodynamic set up of the front wing may be adjusted using the existing parts. No parts may be added, removed or replaced.”

Article 40.9 adds: “A competitor may not modify any part on the car.”

To ensure that teams do not have devices that allow for easy modifications, the rules add: “it must be clear from physical inspection that changes cannot be made without the use of tools.”

Jo Bauer, Formula One Technical Delegate, FIA

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

However, the suspicions that have erupted are that a team has designed its car in such a way that it was possible to adjust the clearance of the front bib – also known as a T-tray – through a change of settings inside the cockpit.

This alteration in theory could be easily done by a mechanic during the regular car assessment work that is undertaken between qualifying and the race, and would be undetected to outside observers.

It is understood teams have been alerted to the possibility of this happening through the design details of all cars needing to be uploaded to FIA servers on open-source components – which all competitors have access to.

The FIA has taken on board the concerns of teams about the possibility of such a device and has decided to take action from this weekend’s race in Austin.

But, while the governing body is clear that any such device that altered the front bib under parc ferme conditions would be illegal, it says it has received no conclusive evidence that such a trick has been used by anyone in F1.

However, with immediate effect, the FIA is changing procedures to check on front bib characteristics from Austin – and this could include using seals on any device that is used to alter the T-tray angle.

An FIA spokesman told Motorsport.com: “Any adjustment to the front bib clearance during parc ferme conditions is strictly prohibited by the regulations.

“While we have not received any indication of any team employing such a system, the FIA remains vigilant in our ongoing efforts to enhance the policing of the sport.

“As part of this, we have implemented procedural adjustments to ensure that front bib clearance cannot be easily modified.

“In some cases, this may involve the application of a seal to provide further assurance of compliance.”

The revelation about a potential trick system in F1 comes ahead of an intense end to the season, with six races remaining and the outcome of both titles closely fought.

Motorsports

Meet the Austin nightlife king who puts F1 drivers into DJ booths

Published

2 hours ago

October 16, 2024

NewsAdmin

In 2022, McLaren’s rising star Lando Norris found himself at one of Jack Zimmerman’s restaurants for what was supposed to be a low-key dinner after finishing sixth at the U.S. Grand Prix. The British driver was joined by chart-topper Zedd for a late-night bite at Devil May Care in downtown Austin, which quickly led to the pair jumping behind the DJ booth, with Norris getting an impromptu crash course in mixing tracks. “You don’t tell Zedd he can’t DJ,” Zimmerman, the founder of Nova Hospitality, says with a grin as he recalls the legendary party that eventually spilled next door to his Vegas-style nightclub, Mayfair.

That was the first night I met Zimmerman. It was well past 2am when he ushered me into the glitzy venue where Norris (a hobbyist DJ at the time) was putting on a show for hundreds of racing fans who were thrilled to have scored the hottest after-party ticket in town. But as the celebration raged on, Austin’s undisputed nightlife impresario wasn’t basking in the spotlight. Zimmerman, who has cemented his bars, clubs and restaurants as the hottest of spots when F1 shows up in the Texas capital, quietly slipped away just as the party hit its peak.

That wasn’t always how the hospitality veteran’s nights would pan out.

Jack Zimmerman

Photo by: Nova Hospitality

Born in London to an American mother and a British father, Zimmerman spent his childhood steeped in the roar of the V12 engines that defined Formula 1 in the mid-90s. “On Sundays as a kid, F1 was always on the TV,” he says. But after moving to Dallas as a teenager, Zimmerman’s love for motorsport faded amid time zone differences that made it difficult to watch races.

He landed in Austin in 2005 to study finance at Texas State University, years before the Circuit of the Americas was even a twinkle in Bernie Ecclestone’s eye. While studying, Zimmerman worked in hospitality: “Back then it was a casual city — lots of small bars and live music, but not much glitz.”

At 24 he found more glitz than any one man can handle, having landed in Las Vegas to work at the Wynn hotel’s XS, one of the highest-grossing nightclubs on the planet. “It was 2010, and the big DJs weren’t really a thing yet. Then suddenly some competition opened up in Marquee [an ultra-club owned by the Tao Group], and we were in this race to book all the big names: Swedish House Mafia, Deadmau5, Avicii. It went absolutely crazy,” he says. “I would show up at 7pm and work until 7am, and I loved every minute of it.”

After four years at the Wynn hotel’s ultra-opulent haunt loved by celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Zimmerman consulted in nightclubs and venues in places like Miami, Dubai, and Shanghai. “Every market is wildly different,” he says. “In Shanghai, for example, people would buy a bottle service table and then sit and play dice. Not a whole lot of dancing — just playing dice and drinking games while spending thousands on champagne and whiskey.”

Yuki couldn’t go two feet without being stopped. It was crazy everywhere these guys went on Sunday night.

Formula 1 changed Austin. When the Circuit of the Americas opened in 2012 about an hour outside the city (two on race day), it re-established America’s place on the F1 calendar after a seven-year trial separation. But the city itself still wasn’t sure what to do with the traveling circus and the first-class-flying party people who came with it.

In 2015 Zimmerman returned home with a plan to turn up the volume on Austin’s boots-and-beers nightlife. He founded Nova Hospitality and channeled what he learned from his tours of duty in Vegas and beyond.

“The first couple of years there were some big parties, but the venues weren’t prepared to support the type of events that the F1 crowd wanted and there was a bit of a drop-off,” Zimmerman reflects. Flash forward to the release of Netflix’s “Drive To Survive” in 2019, and Austin’s relationship with the sport began to shift dramatically. “All of a sudden, people were talking about Formula 1.”

The boom put Nova Hospitality in the right place at the right time. Zimmerman had launched the group with Mayfair and modern Japanese restaurant TenTen before expanding to include boutique nightclub Devil May Care, an event space called LZR, and The Well — a local café chain that’s become a favorite among locals, including Olympic golden girl Gabby Thomas. Zimmerman was then tapped by Sports Illustrated ahead of the 2021 U.S. Grand Prix — the first American race to take place in the midst of F1’s skyrocketing popularity — to produce its sold-out Circuit Series party headlined by Travis Scott and the Chainsmokers. “There was an endless line of people outside trying to get in,” he remembers. “We were just coming out of the pandemic, and ‘Drive to Survive’ was wildly popular. I thought, ‘This is epic.’”

I witnessed the “epic” first-hand in 2022 at that year’s party. Shortly before Post Malone took the stage at Mayfair, a frazzled publicist asked me if a few extra guests could join the table, which was a group of journalists sipping drinks. That’s how I spent the night next partying with (okay, near) Serena Williams, Karlie Kloss, and a swath of celebrities who stuck around until the early hours of Sunday morning — before heading into the F1 paddock that afternoon.

Deadmau5

Photo by: Nova Hospitality

Zimmerman now has an ongoing partnership with his former colleagues at the Wynn who help book headlining talent during F1 weekends at Mayfair. Devil May Care, however, “self-populates with celebs and bigger names,” he tells me. “We don’t need to book anyone big there — it just happens.” Most of the current drivers have come through, too. “I’d say 13 or 14 of the drivers on the current grid have been through with their teams, or their wives and girlfriends.”

“We’ve found that some of these guys value privacy more than others,” says Zimmerman. “Last year we had Max [Verstappen] at TenTen for dinner with his girlfriend on the Monday after the race and it was pretty quiet, nobody bothered them. But one day prior to that, Yuki [Tsunoda] couldn’t go two feet without being stopped. It was crazy everywhere these guys went on Sunday night.”

Last year, Zimmerman escorted one driver from dinner at TenTen to a table at Mayfair, before swiftly moving him to a private room to escape all the fans pleading for a selfie. “We try to communicate with the drivers ahead of time about how much privacy they care for so we can put them in a private section if that’s what they’d prefer,” he says. “Or, if they’re open to it, we can put them front and center … Lando [Norris] is pretty welcoming to that.”

This year is looking more chaotic than ever, with a huge college football game between the University of Georgia Bulldogs and the University of Texas Longhorns on Saturday, overlapping with F1’s qualifying and sprint race. Zimmerman expects his Sunday night closing bash, headlined by Diplo, will be over the top.

Lando Norris & Zedd

Photo by: Nova Hospitality

Maybe it’s the Austin in him, but Zimmerman’s much more relaxed than his nightlife kingpin counterparts in New York or Las Vegas, whose empires have been built on their larger-than-life personas and constant visibility. Speaking of, Zimmerman doesn’t have plans to infringe on their turf, despite his success.

“We don’t have any desire to open venues outside of the city anytime soon, maybe ever,” he says. Which makes sense: the carbon-copy flaming-bottle mega-clubs of the early aughts have given way to places like his: more carefully considered, and part of the city that created them.

Which isn’t to say Zimmerman’s spots won’t give everyone looking for bottle service and heart-thudding beats a place to spend their evenings. Just don’t expect to find Austin’s nightlife kingpin staying up with the crowds anymore. “Things have changed for me,” Zimmerman says. “These days you won’t find me in the venues after 10pm unless there’s something special going on.” At 38, he’s more concerned about longevity and balance than FOMO. “I want to wake up early, have a healthy day, and be ready to do this for the next 10 years without burning out.”

Motorsports

F1 US Grand Prix 2024 Fashion Drops: Levi’s, +44, Enchanté

Published

3 hours ago

October 16, 2024

NewsAdmin

Formula 1 is roaring back into Texas for the United States Grand Prix, bringing with it a slew of southern-inspired fashion collections. From uniquely American brands like Levi’s and Cherry Los Angeles, to driver-led projects like Lewis Hamilton’s +44 and Daniel Ricciardo’s Enchanté, here’s everything you need to know about where to shop in Austin to discover unique racing pieces.

Red Bull Racing x Cherry Los Angeles

Red Bull Racing and Cherry Los Angeles have joined forces on a 12-piece collection

Photo by: Red Bull Racing

Red Bull Racing is teaming up with Cherry Los Angeles for a second capsule collection, launching ahead of the 2024 US Grand Prix. The 12-piece drop marks the reigning World Champions’ return to Texas and blends streetwear with motorsport heritage. Standout pieces include a retro-inspired racing jacket and a bowling shirt with intricate chain stitch embroidery.

The collection, which was designed and crafted entirely in the US, will launch on Friday, October 18 at the Cherry Holiday Store in Austin before arriving at Cherry’s flagship location in Los Angeles and online.

MX TX by +44

Lewis Hamilton’s +44 will host another pop-up during the US Grand Prix

Photo by: Plus44

Lewis Hamilton is dropping a limited-edition +44 collection, MX TX (read: motocross and Texas), inspired by the off-road motocross scene in America during the ’90s. The exclusive drop features a race jacket adorned with the words ‘Hamilton Crew’ across the shoulders, along with one of the world champion’s favorite quotes, ‘Still We Rise.’

Fans will also be able to shop a long sleeve Moto tee with neon graphics, a pullover and a zip-up hoodie, which were modeled by LA-based dirt bike riders Spoety Young, Sabrina Victoria and Trevor Stewart in the collection campaign. All pieces will be available online and at a custom pop-up at Austin-based boutique ByGeorge from October 17-20.

Enchanté Garage

Daniel Ricciardo may not be in Austin, but his influence will definitely be felt at Enchanté Garage. The fan-favorite Australian athlete is set to release his latest fashion collection at an exclusive pop-up presented by Cash App. Described as a “place for motorsport enthusiasts and gearheads alike,” fans will have the opportunity to shop hoodies, crewnecks, tank tops, sweaters and more.

The pop-up will be held at Antone’s in downtown Austin on October 18 and 19, and is also available to shop online.

McLaren x Levi’s

McLaren USGP Fashion

Photo by: McLaren

McLaren’s second collaboration with heritage brand Levi’s is set to launch this week to coincide with the US Grand Prix. The capsule collection, which celebrates the fusion between the iconic American fashion label and the British racing team, features some of Levi’s beloved garments adorned with McLaren logos and stitching.

The upcoming drop also features graphic tees emblazoned with the image of classic McLaren cars, along with the Track Trucker, Sports 501® Jeans, Speed Trucker, Speed Jeans, Second Skin, Fleece Hoodie and more. Both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri star in the collection campaign, which was shot on location at the McLaren Technology Center in Woking. Fans can shop the collection online from October 17 and at a pop-up in downtown Austin on October 18 and 19.

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Radioactive for the NASCAR Cup Series at the Charlotte Motor Speedway for the ROVAL 400 Presented by Bank of America.

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3 cocktails to drink while watching F1’s Austin Grand Prix

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4 hours ago

October 16, 2024

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Having been built in 2010, Austin, Texas’ Circuit of the Americas (COTA) racetrack isn’t even old enough to legally drink — but it’s already been home to a number of spectacular races. The track can accommodate 120,000 spectators, but when F1 first started racing at COTA, in 2012, ages before the Netflix “Drive to Survive” bump, tumbleweeds often outnumbered humans. Now, all the corners are brimming with rabid fans.

Because this 20-turn, 3.426-mile circuit design was designed by the same wizards behind Bahrain, Yas Marina, and the revamp of Hockenheimring and Fuji Speedway, the track has technical corners and ample high-speed sections, making for great viewing sections for F1 fans. It can be hard to choose only a few favorites, but we’ve concocted three boozy beverages with a Texan drawl, all inspired by COTA corners and crafted by Travel Bar Brooklyn’s co-owner and beverage director Mike Vacheresse.

Starting with one drink co-created by someone who’s not going to be drinking during the race, but knows his spirits well: Valtteri Bottas.

Coming In Hot Highball

Photo by: Sean Evans

“I like COTA a lot. It’s a fun track to drive,” Valtteri Bottas tells me over the phone. The Finnish driver for Sauber is on the line to chat about a collaboration between WhistlePig rye (his team’s sponsor) and his own gin brand, Oath, which resulted in a single barrel release of 6-year-old WhistlePig PiggyBack rye that’s been rested in Oath barrels (bottled at 100.77 proof, a nod to Bottas’ racing number).

“I’m getting into whiskey, trying to learn as much as I can,” Bottas says. “How much time I have to ‘learn’ is a question, given my busy season and schedule,” he laughs.

Ask Bottas for his favorite COTA corner and pair it with a cocktail he loves, and his answer is swift. “The first corner. It’s a huge uphill [133 feet in elevation] and then you’re into a hairpin, a bit of a blind corner,” Bottas says. “And I’d say it’s like a highball; tall corner, tall drink. And when you do a highball right, you never know what happens next.”

Building on that, Vacheresse whipped up a spicy highball that ratchets up the base flavors of WhistlePig x Oath with the help of habanero bitters. It’s a solid sipper, with hints of apple and cinnamon coming through from the Oath gin barrels, some rye spice from the whiskey, and a light burn from the bitters. Temperatures may be in the 90s Fahrenheit (mid-30s Celsius) this week in Austin, but Bottas’ Coming In Hot Highball is a flawless fall drink.

Ingredients:

1.5 ounce WhistlePig PiggyBack Sauber Single Barrel Rye
¼ ounce Cocchi Americano (you can substitute Lillet Blanc, too)
4 dashes Bittermens Hellfire Habanero Shrub Bitters
Soda water
Lemon twist

Steps:

Fill a Collins glass with ice, then add the whiskey first.
Add the Cocchi Americano and bitters, then top with soda water
Give it a quick stir with a long bar spoon, and garnish with a lemon twist

Texas Four-Step

Photo by: Sean Evans

COTA’s esses are a four-turn exchange (turns 3 through 6) linked to form a beautiful back-and-forth moment with plenty of flow. When cameras switch to the aerial view, watching drivers navigate this serpentine section gets the adrenaline flowing; they’re coming in at more than 200 mph, and have to maintain as much race pace as they can throughout. For this complex segment, we went with a riff on a Manhattan that uses a Texas whiskey and a vermouth substitute called Brovo Boomerang. “It’s a liquor with a lot of different flavors, sending your mouth between rhubarb, cherry, apricot, and walnut, mirroring the track’s corners,” says Vacheresse. For the Texas whiskey, try Balcones Rye for a spicier, chocolatey malt base, or Balcones Baby Blue for a sweeter corn base. Still Austin Bourbon or Rye also work well.

Ingredients:

2 ounces Texas whiskey
1 ounce Boomerang
2 dashes orange bitters
3 Maraschino cherries for garnish

Steps:

Mix the Texas whiskey, Boomerang, and orange bitters in a shaker glass
Stir until very cold, then pour into a coupe. Garnish with three cherries on a toothpick

Flat Spot

Photo by: Sean Evans

COTA’s turn 15 requires drivers to lean hard into the brakes and slow the car from triple-digit speeds to 60 mph (37 kph) or so before a hairpin. Occasionally those with lesser skills get caught out and lock up the wheels, flat-spotting the tires. “Tequila is big in Texas, and this drink is big on flavor,” says Vacheresse. “It’s got a surprising turn, just like the corner, by using Genepy — a French alpine herbal spirit that plays nicely with the classic pepper flavors of tequila.”

Ingredients:

1.5 ounces anejo or reposado tequila
½ ounce cinnamon syrup (instructions below)
¼ ounce Genepy
¼ ounce lemon juice
Lemon wheel for garnish

Steps:

Pour all ingredients into a shaker — shake until very cold
Pour over ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel

WordupNews

every circuit F1 visited in the United States

12 – Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada

11 – Fair Park, Dallas, Texas

10 – Phoenix, Arizona

9 – Miami, Florida

8 – Las Vegas, Nevada

7 – Detroit, Michigan

6 – Riverside, California

5 – Sebring, Florida

4 – Indianapolis, Indiana

3 – Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas

2 – Long Beach, California

1 – Watkins Glen, New York

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