2019 Canadian F1 Grand Prix, Part IV: The Race

Time to go watch some F1 racing!

Both my wife and I prefer experiences over a gift. This experience was special because it combined my favorite things to do; drive long distances, travel to a new city, and watch live a Formula 1 race.

2019 Canadian F1 Grand Prix

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

After the race is over, people jumped the fence and walked the track. I would like to see this happen at Fenway Park after the Red Sox finish a game.

Tire remnants scrubbed off due to the friction of racing.

2019 Canadian F1 Grand Prix, Part III: The Cars

Wow! Never have I seen such varied and high-end display of automobiles. When the race comes to town people love to show off their wares. Most of the high-end cars all had local license plates.

I took 70 photos of ultra rare and fast cars during the F1 weekend. Here are 10 of my favorites:

2011 Pagani Huayra, only 100 ever manufactured, $3.3 million price tag.

Supercharged Chevrolet Cobalt SS

Turbocharged Chevrolet Cobalt SS

How do you tell the difference between the turbocharged and the supercharged cars? Different rear wing!

Bentley Bentayga and Lamborghini Aventador Spyder

BMW M850i, on sale for only 7 months.

4th generation Dodge Viper

2018 Lamborghini Urus

McLaren 570S

LaFerrari (center), only 500 ever manufactured, $3.5 million price tag.

2018 Lamborghini Urus (front), McLaren 720S, and a 2018 Bentley Bentayga. 

2019 SXSW, Part IV: Circuit of the Americas

The Circuit of the Americas (COTA) is one of only two Formula 1 racetracks in North America, with the other in Montreal, Canada (stay tuned!) and is located about 25 km (15 miles) southeast of Austin.

Unfortunately, there is not much too see. The grandstand where I took the videos and the gift shop were open. It would have been cool to see more of the inner workings the racetrack. At least I had made it to the track, watched Ferraris race down the front stretch, and went karting.

There were 2 Audi R8s in front. Both with the wrong transmission.

Underneath the grandstand, I found 3 more R8s, all with the wrong transmission.

I don't think these Ferraris were actually racing as their were no spectators in the stands. Anyway, it was a thrill to watch them blow by at 265 kph (165 mph).

I paid for 2 sessions of go-karting. My best lap time was just under a minute.