Circuit of the Americas chairman Bobby Epstein has said that the Austin track could host a double-header this season in order to fill out the Formula 1 calendar.
The US Grand Prix is currently scheduled to take place on 24 October, having spent a year off the calendar last year due to COVID-19.
Formula 1 initially hoped to hold 23 races this year but have come across issues, with the Canadian Grand Prix the first planned race to be cancelled.
The Montreal round was initially set to be replaced by the Turkish Grand Prix, but that was then cancelled, with a second race in Austria added as a replacement. However, the Singapore Grand Prix has since been called off, leaving a slot available.
The Austin track first hosted a Grand Prix in 2012 and Epstein said that it could follow the Red Bull Ring in Austria by hosting a double-header.
“As long as I put the word possible in front of it, then we’re good,” he told ESPN. “A second race in Austin is possible – I read that and thought, well that’s true. A second race in Austin is a done deal – that is not true. But it’s easy to flip it if they decide they want to and they need to and it’s the best decision for the sport, they can make that decision and we’re there for that.”
Bobby Epstein argued that the fact COTA is a permanent circuit made adding a second race feasible.
“The fact we’re a permanent race track, that’s easy. So then the question is when you take it from a race to an event. Now you have to tell me what you want in that event, then I can tell you what I can do. We’ve thousands of people who works these events, people who work concession stands, direct traffic, clean up, set up, whatever it is. The demand we know is here, thanks to some great growth in the sport in its popularity, the demand would be there and it could be pulled off.” – he concluded.
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