MattUF

My Father and I decided, while watching quali on Saturday, to book travel arrangements for next year's USGP. We have yet to buy tickets, but are thinking of doing grandstands so we'd still have the ability to walk around to different vantage points. I know there seemed to be a few RL'ers attending, so wanted to get your feedback on the best places to spectate from, and if there are any "can't miss" things to do during race weekend? Never been to Austin before, but have heard good things.

Thanks in advance,
Matt

LostSouth

Where to sit is a tough call. Just got back and bought general admission. They don't let you up into the stands during the practice days unless you have a ticket so it is difficult to assess the different options. I would say Turn 1, 5, or 7.

The turn 5 stands gives you the opportunity to see them going through three corners and you should be high enough to see half of the long back straight and the breaking zone.

Turn 12 is on the opposite side from 5 so should be similar.

Turn 1 wold be good for the start, you can see down the front straight and out of 1. Not sure how much more you can see, but the stands are pretty high.

Texas RS

High in T15 is a great vantage point for a lot of action. You can see the cars coming into T12 from a very high speed section going to a low speed corner, i.e. good passing zone and then follow them through T13, 14 & 15. Better than T12 IMO, I have spent time in both sections. T1 provides a lot of action, especially at the start.

consolidated

T15 is hard to beat, then T12(with views to T1 in the right seats), and third T13 or T1. T4/5/6 is also cool. The main grandstand if you want to see the start and pitstops but watch the race on monitors.

PhilD

I sat in the main grandstand up at the club level and you get a great view of the pits, and start/finish of the race. You see turn 1 and turn 20 although you do miss a lot of the action on the rest of the track, but there is a really large monitor right in front of you.

We were under the canopy so in the shade, I had some friends down on row 1 in the sun and it was pretty brutal. We actually took advantage of the Velocity bar during the middle of the race for some adult refreshment and AC, which was most welcome. We did move around the grandstand a few times to get different views of the track.

I really enjoy the start, watching the pit crews do their stuff, and seeing the winners podium so the main grandstand works well for me. Although, next year I will definitely consider one of the Skyboxes, as that looked like a great way of enjoying the event.

ninjacoco

I've sat in a few different places now for different races and hands down, for the single view of everything--T12 high, closer to the T13-15 complex. Not even a contest. I liked it even better than T15 in terms of just TONS of stuff to see.

There's the downshifts down towards 12 and all the shenanigans that usually happen in the turns from 13-15 in front of you, plus a view of the last couple esses (6-9) and T1 that you can spot from far away.

T15's only advantage is the view down the straight (eh--all the more exciting passes and spinouts usually happen at the end) and that the monitor's in front. It was to the side for where we were at T12, but I'm paying to watch the race live. I'll catch the race on TV later (and try to spot my sombrero).

Paddock suites are fun, too, since you get all of the pitlane/start/finish action below, aircon, shade and better munchies, but you really need to walk around to get lots of views of lots of things. It's pretty much T1-T20 on one side and T2/T16-19 on the back. Maybe some more if I'd have thought to bring binoculars.

quickxotica

+1 to all this. I was on the very top row, section 5 at T12. We could see all the way to T1, plus the esses, and of course everything from the braking for T12 through T15. Great spot.

The advantages of being on the very top row: 1) You can stand up without blocking anyone's view (this really helps when you are trying to get tracking shots with a big lens on a DSLR), and 2) there is a little ledge behind your seat for storing gear/drinks/etc. None of the other rows have any room at all to put stuff down.

Veloce Raptor

I have some pretty nice PSL seats that were right across from the Lotus garage. Given that Sunday it was a record-setting 90 degrees, the fact that they are in the shade, with great views of T20 and T1, was a huge benefit. in addition, being PSL seats, they gave me access to the PSL hospitality tent that was in between the T12 grandstands and the T15 grandstands. Stellar views of T12, 13, 14, and 15!!

Jarez Mifkin

I sat at Turn 12 section 4 row 34, they were great seats. I could see T1, the later part of the esses to T9, the braking zone for T12 (the sound of those things downshifting was just awesome. Interesting to note that the Ferrari's had a high pitched downshift sound, the Red Bulls were almost silent when downshifting, and everything else barked like a rabid dog)
Could see cars all the way to the Tower turn.
It was stoooopid hot though Sunday, the breeze helped, but stupid hot.