467,000 Fans: COTA Sets Its Attendance Record at the 2026 United States Grand Prix
Circuit of the Americas drew 467,000 fans across the 2026 United States Grand Prix weekend — the biggest crowd in the circuit's history since it joined the Formula 1 calendar in 2012, and the third-largest F1 weekend crowd of 2026.
The biggest race weekend in Austin history is now a number. A total of 467,000 fans attended the 2026 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas, a new attendance record for the circuit since it joined the Formula 1 calendar in 2012, Sportscape Magazine reported on Tuesday.
The record came with an extra day. The circuit opened its doors on a Thursday for the first time, with a new event called Grand Prixview — a pit lane walk, Fan Zone access and on-track action from F1 Academy — that was free for three-day pass holders and $20 for other visitors, according to the report. Austin's previous marks were 432,000 in 2023 and an estimated 430,000 in 2024; no official announcement was made for 2025.
Austin ranked third in attendance among Formula 1 weekends in 2026, behind the British Grand Prix at 564,000 and the Australian Grand Prix at 484,000, the report said. Total F1 weekend attendance for the 2026 season has crossed six million. On the track, the record crowd saw Kimi Antonelli win from pole position on a one-stop strategy — his ninth win of the season — with Charles Leclerc second and Max Verstappen third.
The weekend also widened beyond racing, with a new theme park, COTALAND, debuting near the final turn and concerts by Post Malone, Maroon 5 and Alesso across the weekend, according to the report. The crowd figure closes the on-site story of the weekend; the airport's record-scale departure day on Monday was the other half of it.
