Preview: Austin awaits Alex

Hear what Alex has to say as he heads COTA to begin another triple header.

Published

08 OCT 2026

Est. reading time

3 min

Alex Albon heads to Texas for the United States Grand Prix as Formula 1 kicks off another triple-header. With a varied circuit layout and plenty of overtaking opportunities, COTA presents another challenge for the Thai driver.

His thoughts

“I always look forward to coming to Texas. The food is incredible, the atmosphere is unlike anywhere else and the fans really get into the weekend.”

“It’s great to be back on this side of the world for the triple header. The run up the hill to Turn 1 is special, and it is always a challenge with the elevation changes and the mix of high and low-speed corners.”

“After Singapore, we focussed on debriefing, rebuilding some of our spare parts, and getting ready to go again. With three races in a row, we need to get up to speed quickly on Friday and make the most of this triple header.”

The track

The Circuit of The Americas has been a fixture on the F1 calendar since 2012. Located in Austin, Texas, the 5.513km circuit features 20 corners and a mix of high-speed sections, tight turns and significant elevation changes.

The uphill run into Turn 1 offers one of the best overtaking opportunities on the track, while the fast, flowing sequence of Turns 3 to 6 resemble Silverstone's Maggotts and Becketts. COTA will provide technical challenge, making tyre management and finding the right balance important throughout the weekend.

Previous outings

Alex has enjoyed some strong moments at COTA, securing fifth place with Red Bull in 2019 before adding to his tally with a sixth-place finish in the Sprint last year, earning three points.

In the 2025 Grand Prix, Alex started 19th after his qualifying time was deleted for track limits. He made progress through the field to finish 14th, giving him another opportunity to build on his experience at the circuit this weekend.

The weather

Warm, predominantly sunny conditions are expected throughout the weekend in Austin. While the forecast looks favourable for running, the Texas heat and changing wind conditions could still present challenges for the drivers and teams as they prepare for qualifying and Sunday's Grand Prix.

The timings

With Formula 1 heading to Texas, fans in the Americas can enjoy the action across the afternoon, while those in Europe will have evening sessions to look forward to, with qualifying running later into the night. For fans across Asia, the time difference means sessions will take place overnight and in the early hours of the morning.

New Albono

This weekend’s Albono brings a little Texas spirit to your AA23 Fan Passport, with a cactus-inspired design to celebrate the United States Grand Prix.

Make sure to collect your latest stamp and add another stop to your collection!

The 2026 United States Albono is ready to collect!