F1 ACADEMY to welcome 7,000 local students to landmark extra day in Austin 

F1 ACADEMY and the Circuit of the Americas are set to host 7,000 local students in an unprecedented event at Round 5 of the 2026 season, with the calendar expanding to a four-day race weekend at the FORMULA 1 MSC CRUISES UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX.

The additional day will form the largest ever activation of Discover Your Drive, which will see students aged 11-12 from Austin and Central Texas school districts invited to the track on Thursday, October 22.

They will receive the exciting opportunity to tour the F1 ACADEMY paddock, hear from inspiring figures from across the sport, and watch Free Practice and Qualifying from the grandstands.

The Discover Your Drive programme was created to open up more pathways into motorsport for women, and this initiative will bring thousands of students closer to the variety of roles on offer in Formula 1.

It will be launched in partnership with COTA, marking a shared commitment to making the sport more accessible and showing the next generation that they can pursue a future in it.

The circuit will simultaneously host the brand new Grand PrixView Thursday, offering a chance for members of the public to experience the campus at a lower price before the race weekend officially kicks off. For $20, fans will receive access to the F1 ACADEMY paddock, Fan Villages and COTA's brand-new amusement park, COTALAND – all of which is free for the 7,000 participating students.

Susie Wolff, Managing Director of F1 ACADEMY, commented: “Initiatives like Discover Your Drive are incredibly important because they make our sport more accessible.

“For many of the more than 7,000 students joining us at COTA, it will be their first opportunity to experience our sport firsthand, something they may never otherwise have had the chance to do. We know this experience won’t lead every young woman into motorsport, but it can broaden their view of what’s possible.

“It’s about giving young people the chance to step inside the world of motorsport and realise that it isn’t just something to watch, it’s an industry they could one day be part of.

“COTA’s commitment to bringing F1 ACADEMY Discover Your Drive to life and welcoming so many students into the paddock is a powerful example of how we can open up our sport to the next generation. Sometimes all it takes is one experience to spark an ambition, reveal a new possibility or inspire a future career.”