Cowboy hats have become an institution in Austin and one of the most recognisable symbols of the United States Grand Prix. Formula 1 fans across Texas wear them throughout race weekend, and from this year even Lone Star Land, one of the Circuit of The Americas’ largest fan areas, will have a cowboy hat of its own.
The new structure at COTA is designed on a truly Texas-sized scale. Located inside the circuit and housing a themed bar underneath, the giant cowboy hat measures around 23 metres and has been conceived as a permanent attraction that organisers hope could earn Guinness World Record recognition.
COTA targets a Guinness World Record with giant cowboy hat
The idea was strongly backed by Circuit of The Americas president Bobby Epstein, who explained to The Athletic that the aim was to create “a tourist attraction worthy of some kind of Guinness World Record”. Rather than building a conventional tent at Lone Star Land, COTA decided to transform the fan area into something far more distinctive.
“Instead of a normal tent, a 23-metre-long cowboy hat will be built and held together by fibreglass,” Bobby Epstein explained. He described it as something “spectacular that should become a permanent landmark for all the years to come. Absolutely not to be missed.”
The attraction fits naturally with an event that has embraced its Texan roots since COTA joined the Formula 1 calendar in 2012. Austin has steadily developed a visual identity around local culture, helping the race stand apart from the other American Grands Prix.
Last year, organisers encouraged spectators to wear cowboy hats during Saturday qualifying in what became known as “Haturday”, a play on the words “hat” and “Saturday”. For 2026, the concept has been taken to a much larger scale with a permanent structure rather than simply a race-weekend theme.
The latest attraction arrives as Austin prepares for the 2026 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at COTA, scheduled for 23–25 October. Fans can also explore the venue’s layout, history and key records in the complete Circuit of The Americas guide.
Lewis Hamilton has long praised COTA as a classic circuit
The United States Grand Prix has become one of the most distinctive rounds on both the Formula 1 and MotoGP calendars. In 2023, Lewis Hamilton described COTA as one of his favourite circuits and praised the way the venue combines the feel of a modern facility with the characteristics of a traditional racing track.
“Often when they build new circuits they are not really like the classics, but this one has been from the beginning. It is a track that allows us to have great races,” Lewis Hamilton said.
That identity has helped Austin establish its own place among the three Formula 1 events held in the United States. Bobby Epstein believes the three races can coexist because each offers fans a different experience.
“Miami, Vegas and Austin: I think all three are unique. I don’t think we will have an overlap in customers,” Bobby Epstein said.
COTA’s distinctive character is therefore becoming about more than the race track itself. From the steep approach to Turn 1 to its Texas-inspired atmosphere, the venue has built an identity that organisers now want to reinforce with a new permanent landmark. The giant cowboy hat at Lone Star Land is intended to become another immediately recognisable feature of an event that has made local culture a central part of its Formula 1 appeal.
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