The COTA circuit in Austin has hosted Formula 1 stages since 2012, and during all this time there have been complaints from drivers about the quality of the asphalt and the large number of bumps. The reason for the low quality is the characteristics of the ground on which the circuit is built: due to its natural characteristics, the ground is unstable, which makes it constantly rise and fall, causing the asphalt surface of the track to form waves.
In 2021, an ultimatum was given: MotoGP competitors threatened to boycott the stage at Texas Motor Speedway if the owners did not do something about the asphalt. They were listened to and in early 2022, asphalt was laid on the COTA speedway and in some places concrete pads were installed to reinforce the ground.
Although this solved the problem, it did not last long. In 2023, the asphalt problem was remembered again during the Formula 1 stage, and with a loud voice. After the finish of the race, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified because the control rod under the floor of their car was worn out more than necessary and did not meet the requirements of the technical regulations. One of the reasons for wear in the teams was the large number of bumps on which the rod was worn out.
The circuit owners had to get back to work and less than a month before the American Grand Prix, the COTA press office announced that new asphalt had been laid on the track and that the racing ring was completely ready for the Formula 1 stage.
The Austin round, scheduled for October 18-20, will be the fourth of the season to be run in a sprint format.
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
