Kannapolis-based Haas F1 team prepare for US Grand Prix

KANNAPOLIS, North Carolina (WBTV) – Kannapolis-based Uralkali Haas F1 team begin a homecoming as Formula 1 prepares for the 2021 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

“Austin has always been good to us,” said team principal Guenther Steiner. “We have a good fan base here in the United States and it gets bigger and bigger as Formula 1 develops in the United States. United States. We have Haas Hill in Austin, which has been full for weeks or even months, and it’s always nice to go. Austin as a city and also as a circuit, it’s just a good place and after missing out on last year I think all of Formula 1 are happy to be back in Austin and we l ‘wait impatiently. We did a few things with NASCAR there because Gene also owns a NASCAR team – Stewart-Haas Racing – which was a good success because we had this car driven with Romain and Kevin with Tony Stewart who is a legend in the corner. So overall I’m really happy to go and do the weekend.

Formula 1 has a long and rich history in the United States, with several iconic venues across the country hosting World Championship events. Sebring, Watkins Glen, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Long Beach, Dallas, Detroit and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway have all been visited by Formula 1 as Miami looms on the horizon for the future.

Since 2012, the championship has been established on the specially built and extremely popular Circuit of the Americas (COTA). Four years later, Uralkali Haas F1 Team joined Formula 1, offering the motorsport championship both an American team and an American event.

COTA, located on the outskirts of the popular city of Austin, has been specially designed for Formula 1, providing a mix of challenges for teams and drivers.

The focal point of the circuit is the mountain-like Turn 1, now named Big Red in honor of investor COTA Red McCombs, and its plunging exit immediately opens with a sequence of high-speed changes of direction that s inspired by iconic circuits such as Silverstone and Suzuka. A long back straight and stadium-style complex promote side-to-side combat through a variety of racing lines, while a right-handed quadruple and left-handed double shoot the end of the 5.5km lap.

For Uralkali Haas F1 team rookies Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher, the next round will be their first racing experience in the United States, with the team venturing home after the pandemic prevented the 2020 event from d ‘take place.

“It’s a very interesting site, it’s a cool track and I’ve never been there so I can’t wait to go,” said Mazepin. “It’s a song that requires a lot of rhythm, so I hope to find it quickly!”

“It’s our home race, so I’m obviously excited about it, but it’s so much more than that,” said Schumacher. “I love Austin and the United States. It’s special and it’s something where Formula 1 is not yet that big but we are about to get really big, especially thanks to the “Drive to Survive” series. I can’t wait because it’s a great show, there is always so much going on and frankly I’m just super excited to be going back to the States.

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen leads the USGP in the drivers‘ championship race with 262.5 points and 7 wins over Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton with 256.5 points and 5 wins. Mercedes leads manufacturers with 433.5 points out of 397.5 from Red Bull, McLaren ((240), Ferrari (232.5) and Alpine (104) completing the top 5.

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