Circuit of the Americas yesterday "received the stamp of approval" from F1 Race Dir Charlie Whiting for the Oct. 23-25 U.S. Grand Prix, according to Sean Shapiro of the AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN. Whiting said, "This has been one of the best (tracks). Without a doubt. It’s purpose-built, and there aren’t ever any real concerns.” The curbs at COTA yesterday "were getting the heavy look-over from Whiting." Fixing the artificial turf along some of COTA’s run-off areas "was a priority" after the '14 race, when some of the turf was "torn up by cars." Whiting also "inspected the walls and barriers" at COTA. Overall, the inspection "went rather smoothly." F1 officials also are "happy with how Austin has embraced the race, something that was lacking when the U.S. Grand Prix was held in Indianapolis" from '00-07. Whiting: "Everyone has been very, very pleasantly surprised about Austin in general. Because it’s a lot different, I believe, than many of the other places we’ve run Formula 1 (in America). The city really embraces it, just like it is in Montreal ... that wasn’t the case in other places.” Whiting would like to "find another American city that will embrace F1 like Austin." He said that COTA has "helped the sport grow in North America, and that another race in America would push the popularity more" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 6/11).
