facility will also include all the usual Formula 1 amenities like grandstands, natural seating along portions of the course, media center, and of course a state-of-the-art paddock and, we’re guessing, luxury boxes for those who want to avoid the Texas heat.

Nobody here at Autopia currently possesses a super license or experience on a Formula 1 circuits, but to the amateur eye it looks like an interesting course with 133 feet of elevation change between the highest and lowest points on the circuit.

The start/finish is on a short straightaway, then drivers progress through some fast corners in the first half of the track. The second half starts with a three-quarter-mile straight before heading into a tight and twisty slow section. Tavo Hellmund, Chairman of the Formula 1 USGP in Austin, says the course should offer a wide range of challenges.

“You’ll see fast turns that require commitment from the drivers and technical turns that will test the engineers from a set-up point of view,” he says.

The new circuit looks like a definite improvement over past USGP courses like the infamous parking lot race in Las Vegas (1981-1982) or the numerous 90-degree corners dictated by the city blocks on the Phoenix road course (1989-1991). And there are no railroad tracks to cross like there were on the Detroit circuit (1982-1988). Of course Watkins Glen (1961-1980) will always be a favorite, but the most recent races at Indianapolis (2000-2007) were on a less than spectacular course where drivers complained about the rather boring section where they were flat out for more than 20 seconds while driving on the oval.

Many racing fans seem to be excited that the new course will be the home for the USGP for the next decade and the city of Austin. Local residents near the future track site say the new facility will be the lesser of two evils. Before the organizers purchased the property, it was slated to be a high density development with nearly 2,000 homes.

The new Austin course was designed by famed track designer Hermann Tilke. Tilke is responsible for many of the newer race courses around the world as well as redesigning sections of older tracks including the Nürburgring.

The first race on the new Austin circuit will take place in 2012, though a specific date has yet to be announced.

Images: Full Throttle Productions

Authors: Jason Paur

to know more click here