• US Grand Prix

FIA gives Austin seal of approval

The FIA's Charlie Whiting on his track walk © Sutton Images

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FIA safety delegate Charlie Whiting has given the Circuit of the Americas his approval during his final track inspection before the US Grand Prix on November 18.

Whiting visited the circuit to ensure it is race-ready and came away from the visit enthused by the layout and quality of the track. After walking the 3.4-mile circuit and inspecting everything from kerbs to the crash barriers, Whiting passed the circuit with the necessary Grade 1 classification required for a Formula One race.

"Everything that I've seen so far has been absolutely first class, and the progress that's been made since the last time that I was here is amazing," Whiting said. "The guys have done an awesome job - it really is quite fantastic. It's built to the highest quality, exactly as we expected, and I've got absolutely no complaints whatsoever."

The circuit takes inspiration from several other venues with a high-speed section reminiscent of Silverstone's Maggots, Becketts and Chapel early in the lap. It also features several wide entries to corners to encourage overtaking, especially at turn one where the cars will also drive over a blind crest at the apex.

"There are three or four corners that are very likely to see overtaking," Whiting added. "If you look at Turn One, you'll see that the turns have been designed so that they're extremely wide and the apex is very short. It's a very modern approach to slow corners where we hope overtaking will take place. So I'm very confident it will work well.

"Turn One is awesome! It's the only word I can think of to describe it, and I think drivers and teams coming here for the first time will say the same thing."

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