After 10 events at 9 tracks the Monoposto season ends next weekend. The Circuit of the Americas doesn't have as long a history as the other tracks on the 2019 schedule, but it has many special features. CoTA was designed specifically as a venue for Formula 1 and will host the 2019 US Grand Prix in about a month.
The track has some really interesting characteristics from the challenging turn one with over 130 feet of elevation gain and narrows down significantly as you go through it. The stretch between turns three to ten is a real rhythm section. Your ability to balance your car through the turns 13 to 15 section can really pay off. The high-speed sweeper that starts coming out of turn 15 and ends with turn 19 will challenge you every lap as your tires age and the track evolves.
But while acknowledging all the challenges of the track, for me the best part of racing at CoTA is found off the track watching the Formula 1 race. Seeing cars racing at CoTA or watching the in-car video is a much richer experience if you have been on the track. You know that some sections that look challenging are straightforward and other parts that look simple are really challenging. Reading about this or hearing it on TV will never be as good as capturing the experience yourself so come to the last Monoposto event of 2019. Who knows, while there you might even lock up one of our 11 championships.
Following the precedent of the last few years there will not be a Monoposto party at CoTA. The schedule continues to be too full of on and off-track activities and, with race cars paddocked in three different areas around the track, our previous attempts to host parties just haven't worked out. If this creates some free time for you, take the opportunity to visit downtown Austin, billed as the Live Music Capital of the World.
Travis Engen
President,
Monoposto Racing