As part of the upcoming Formula 1 (F1) Lenovo United States Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), Gov. Greg Abbott hosted a car presentation in front of the Texas Governor’s Mansion. Playing host to COTA Chairman and Co-Founder Bobby Epstein, Abbott, a Republican, touted the event as an asset to the Texas economy.
"Texas is the proud home of the F1 Lenovo United States Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas, as we bring more tourists to Texas and showcase all the great things our state has to offer," the governor said in an Oct. 16 press release issued by the Office of the Texas Governor. "Because of its annual exposure on TV across the entire world, F1 has been a magnet to attract international visitors to Austin.”
Abbott said that because F1 is televised internationally, Austin stands to receive an influx of visitors from around the world much to the benefit of the city’s bars, restaurants, and entertainment locations. "Texas is home to more Fortune 500 companies than any other state, including Oracle, which has its logo on this car here today,” he said, per the release. “F1 in Austin is an economic boon to Texas.”
The release stated that Epstein presented Abbott with a special aggregate made from COTA's original racetrack during the visit in recognition of last year’s F1. Austin has hosted F1 since 2012 and will continue to do so through 2026, the governor’s office said.
Citing the city’s transportation officials, Austin NBC station KXAN News reported that over 100,000 people are expected to converge on the state capital for the race, which takes place from Oct. 20-22.