Since '15, COTA has had a policy of not releasing attendance figures during or immediately after the racegetty images
Lewis Hamilton clinched his sixth F1 title yesterday during a "thrilling race before a sellout crowd" for the U.S. Grand Prix that Circuit of the Americas officials "expected to be the largest since the inaugural race in 2012," according to Chris Blis of the AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN. The track since '15 has "had a policy of not releasing attendance figures during or immediately after the race weekend" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 11/4). Track officials on Saturday announced there were "no more tickets available" and claimed a sellout. Fans needed to "have a ticket or wristband to enter the grounds." COTA Chair Bobby Epstein said that he expected the crowd to "top the previous three-day record of 269,889 and last year's Sunday attendance of 111,580" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 11/3).
CLOSED FOR MAINTENANCE: MOTORSPORT's Adam Cooper noted COTA will "close this winter for major work to address the bumps" F1 drivers have "complained about over the US Grand Prix weekend." Some "surface grinding was undertaken" over the weekend. However, the "major work is to begin next month, with extensive excavations to remove pipes under the track." Epstein said, "We're actually closing the track for most of December and half of January to fix the problems. We did some of the repairs last year before MotoGP, so I wouldn't say we'd have to do the whole thing." Epstein explained that the track's problems "can be traced to heavy rain, and specifically to damage around pipes caused four years ago," which caused the track's surface to "settle in places" (MOTORSPORT.com, 11/3).
ENOUGH TO GO AROUND? ESPN.com's Nate Saunders noted COTA ownership "believes F1 risks diluting its product as it pushes ahead" with a race at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium. Epstein is "sceptical about whether the existing Miami proposal is good business for F1." He said F1 wants to be in "global destinations with iconic backdrops," so it "does seem very off brand of them to have a parking-lot race." Epstein also said of potential competition with Miami, "We don't worry from a ticket sales point of view. I don't worry that that will become a fan favourite. It's not going to be a spectacular track but I do worry the impact it would have long-term in this market." He added, "I have never had a problem with another race in the same time zone and I've always welcomed the push for more U.S. races, but only if done the correct way. We dealt with the issues around the addition of the Mexican Grand Prix and the loss of revenue that initially gave us, but it's clear they've built something [in Mexico]." Saunders noted Epstein is frustrated because F1 owners Liberty Media "have not asked him for advice on how to grow in America." He said, "If you asked me, when Liberty bought the business [in '17] -- since we've been the only one promoting F1 in the U.S. and have been so successful in it -- have they asked us how we've done it? Have they asked us for any help in building the sport in the U.S.? Have they asked us for any advice? In every case I would say no." Saunders also noted Epstein went on to suggest that Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross and his consortium are "wasting their money by pursuing the existing Miami plan" (ESPN.com, 11/2).
