2026 United States Grand Prix ticket sales are heading towards a possible all-time attendance record at the Circuit of the Americas, even as some drivers continue to criticise the new Formula 1 regulations. COTA president and founder Bobby Epstein says demand for the 25 October race in Austin offers no evidence that the public has lost interest in the championship’s new technical era.
The Austin event, one of the major appointments on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar, is moving towards what could become a record year for the Texas circuit. That trend reflects a season in which six of the opening 11 Grands Prix have established new attendance records.
Australia attracted 484,000 spectators, while Canada welcomed 360,000, Austria 320,000, Belgium 400,000 and Hungary 310,000. The British Grand Prix reached an unprecedented total of 564,000 people, setting the highest attendance figure ever recorded for a single Formula 1 race weekend.
Combined attendance across the 11 Grands Prix already held stands at 3.7 million spectators, representing an increase of six per cent compared with the same period last year.
2026 United States GP ticket sales point towards an Austin record
Speaking to The Race, Bobby Epstein explained that criticism of the regulations has had no visible effect on demand for tickets in Austin.
“It has not hurt our ticket sales this year. We are actually on course for a record year. We are seeing massive demand and could easily beat last year’s record. So, from that standpoint, that is the first place I would look and say: how are the fans responding?
“I think a lot of our fans are fans of our event as much as they are of the sport itself, so some of that criticism is probably early noise that you get in a year when there is a major overhaul of the rules. You will have that noise, and it will level itself out. I think most fans are aware of that.”
For the COTA president, falling ticket sales would provide promoters with a tangible warning that Formula 1’s regulatory direction was damaging public interest. The opposite is currently happening in Austin.
“From a promoter’s point of view, if I suddenly saw our ticket sales collapse, I would be sounding alarms and asking what was going on. But I think we are seeing massive interest in the event, so I am not focusing on the rules and regulations affecting the competition.”
Why Bobby Epstein believes Formula 1 crowds can keep growing
According to Bobby Epstein, a Formula 1 Grand Prix has an important advantage over many other sporting events because it is not restricted by the physical boundaries of a conventional stadium. The extensive layout of the United States Grand Prix at COTA allows organisers to expand the on-site experience by introducing additional entertainment, activities and attractions.
This approach can encourage existing Formula 1 supporters to bring friends who may not initially follow the championship closely. Those visitors can then become interested in the sport, creating a multiplier effect that Bobby Epstein believes is considerably more difficult to achieve inside a traditional arena or seated stadium.
“Because we are not confined by the boundaries of a playing field, we are able to continue growing the on-site experience. We can add more programming and more things for people to do, and I think that enables a fan to bring a friend, and that friend can become engaged, and it keeps working. That is much harder to do in an arena or a seated stadium.”
COTA road upgrades could add up to 30,000 spectators per day
The potential ceiling for attendance is therefore determined primarily by COTA’s ability to move large numbers of people into and out of the venue without creating serious logistical problems. Planned road improvements around the Austin circuit are expected to be completed within two years and could allow the event to welcome between 15,000 and 30,000 additional spectators per day through the introduction of extra lanes.
Improved access would support further expansion at a time when the Texas venue continues to discuss COTA’s broader role in Formula 1’s American plans.
“We have had good meetings with the highways department, and they have assured us that within two years they will improve the roads out of here, which would allow us to add between 15,000 and 30,000 people per day with extra lanes.
“We would love to see that happen because we have the demand. We are already the best-attended and largest single-weekend sporting event in the United States every year, and we would be happy to extend that record even further.”
Another addition for this year is Thursday’s Grand PrixView. The initiative gives supporters the opportunity to take part in a pit-lane walk for $20, watch the F1 Academy and explore the attractions around the circuit before the main Grand Prix programme begins.
On-track action matters more than the F1 regulations
Although the new regulations have not satisfied everyone, particularly some of Formula 1’s most passionate followers, Bobby Epstein says there has been no decline in ticket sales for Austin. He believes most spectators ultimately want to see genuine action on track, with the best driver and the strongest car prevailing rather than results becoming excessively unpredictable.
“For the majority of the crowd, they want to see action on track. I think, for the long-term health of the sport, it cannot be too eccentric. I think F1 and the FIA are aware of that, and I think they continue to make adjustments to ensure the competition remains authentic.”
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