Why you should attend the 2026 United States Grand Prix
Published by Nicky Haldenby on 18 May, 2026
Don’t miss any of the action at the impressive Circuit of The Americas (COTA) this year with official tickets for the 2026 United States Grand Prix from Grand Prix Events.
Top Reasons to Attend the 2026 United States Grand Prix
One of three F1 events in the United States, Circuit of The Americas has been host of the United States Grand Prix since 2012. Thanks to the sport’s surge in popularity stateside over the past decade, attendance figures at COTA have become some of the biggest of the season, with the race weekend attracting over 400,000 fans in total in recent years.
Located around 24 kilometres from downtown Austin, COTA’s crowd is knowledgeable and passionate and the track is considered one of the most popular destinations amongst the F1 teams and drivers.
With a thriving live music scene, Austin has been dubbed ‘the coolest city in America’ and attracts F1 fans from all over the Americas, as well as long haul visitors from Europe. As the capital city of Texas, it’s a busy and thriving city famous for its nightlife and barbecue scene, believed by many to be amongst the best in America.
Visitors will find it easy to get to and from the circuit, and the wide variety of activities close by in Austin make it appealing for those looking to extend their stay. In addition to the on-track action, COTA has also become famous for its world-class live concerts held each year at the circuit on the United States Grand Prix weekend.
This year, Post Malone and Maroon 5 will be headlining trackside on race weekend. Previous headline acts include Pink, Imagine Dragons, Bruno Mars, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder, Usher, and Taylor Swift.
Memorable Moments From F1 at COTA
Since its 2012 debut, COTA has rightfully earned its place as the new home of F1 in North America, and has played host to some memorable moments in recent F1 history.
Perhaps the most memorable in recent times came back in 2018, when 2007 F1 World Champion Kimi Räikkönen ended his remarkable 113-race winless streak to take a surprise victory for Ferrari, delaying Lewis Hamilton’s title confirmation.
While he didn’t have it all his own way in 2018, COTA has been a happy hunting ground for Hamilton down the years. He won the inaugural race in 2012 and has since gone on to score a further four consecutive victories between 2014-2017. Hamilton also confirmed his 2015 and 2019 title wins at COTA.
In more recent years, Max Verstappen has dominated at the track, taking four of the last five victories here. The exception was in 2024, when Charles Leclerc led home Ferrari’s first 1-2 finish in the United States since 2006.
The Best Way to Experience the 2026 United States Grand Prix
Fans looking to attend the 2026 United States Grand Prix can choose from a wide selection of tickets, with 3-day grandstand seating available to book directly through Grand Prix Events.
The impressive Circuit of The Americas facility in Austin features some of the best panoramic views of any F1 circuit, largely owing to its wide-open spaces and eye-popping elevation changes (133ft at its peak).
A seat in the Main Grandstand is a great place to begin and offers fantastic views of the race start, pit lane and podium, as well as the ascent up to Turn 1. The Turn 1 Grandstand itself is another solid choice, located at the crest of the first turn. We recommend seats in the upper section of the stand, where you’ll get an expansive view of all the action.
Elsewhere, a seat in the Turn 4 Grandstand gives you a prime viewing spot to see the cars tackle the tricky high-speed sequence through Turns 3, 4, 5 and 6. You’ll also get a great view of the famous COTA Tower from here. The upper section of the Turn 9 Grandstand gives views of the section of track from Turn 6 to 11, while you’ll see the circuit’s hardest braking zone from the Turn 12 Grandstand.
Towards the back end of the circuit, you’ll want to consider a seat at Turn 15. From here you’ll get a view of Turns 12 through to 16! It’s a great sequence of corners that features a challenging double-apex left-hander which allows drivers to close in and line up a move on the exit.
Upgrade Your United States Grand Prix Experience
Looking for something extra from your United States Grand Prix trip? F1 Experiences offers Official Ticket Packages for the race in Austin with access to insider activities like an Exclusive Pit Lane Walk, Guided Track Tour and access to the Formula 1 Paddock, plus the chance to attend exclusive invite-only events.
For the ultimate United States Grand Prix experience, take a look at one of F1 Experiences’ exclusive hospitality packages. Spend your weekend in the Champions Club, enjoy access to the F1 Experiences Lounge or become one of few people to stand on the F1 podium over the 2026 United States Grand Prix weekend!
Browse United States Grand Prix packages from F1 Experiences.