Austin, Texas, Nov. 17, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AUSTIN, Texas (Nov. 17, 2013) - A massive crowd of 113,162 race fans watched Formula 1™ racing's new driving powerhouse, Infiniti Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel, make history, as the 2013 World Champion driver scored his eighth consecutive Grand Prix victory at Circuit of The Americas (COTA). In doing so, the 26-year-old German wunderkind topped the record of seven consecutive wins set by his racing idol, Michael Schumacher, who retired after the 2012 season.
Vettel has claimed 12 races so far in 2013 and can extend his winning streak to nine if all goes well in next weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix, the final race of the season.
Lotus F1 driver Romain Grosjean claimed the second spot on the podium, while Vettel's teammate, Mark Webber, took third. Red Bull took home the constructor's trophy for the race, having already secured the Constructor's World Championship title two races ago in India.
Three-day attendance for COTA's second Formula 1 Grand Prix was 250,324, with 58,276 fans attending Friday's practice sessions and 78,886 turning out for Saturday's qualifying rounds.
About Circuit of The Americas
Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, is a world-class destination for premium sports and entertainment. It is the first racing facility in the United States purposely built for Formula 1™ racing and is designed to host a variety of sports and entertainment events. The Circuit is home to the FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX, which was named the 2012 "Sports Event of the Year" by SportsBusiness Journal/Daily, and is the new North American host of the summer edition of ESPN's X Games. Additionally Circuit of The Americas welcomes spectators from around the world for some of the most prestigious national and international motorsports series, including MotoGP™, V8 Supercars™, GRAND-AM Road Racing™, American Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championships.
Circuit of The Americas' 1,500-acre campus includes a variety of permanent structures designed for business, education, entertainment and sporting use. Its signature 3.4-mile, 20-turn undulating racetrack features remarkable elevation changes and a number of challenging turns patterned after some of the world's iconic Grand Prix tracks. The Austin360 Amphitheater is an expansive outdoor live music space, featuring the largest permanent stage in Central Texas and the capacity for 14,000 guests. The Circuit's iconic 25-story Observation Tower has a viewing platform offering 360-degree views of the venue, downtown Austin and Texas Hill Country. The 44,000-square foot Event Center offers an expansive convention and banquet space that doubles as an international Media Center during sports and entertainment event. The Event Center includes more than 30 broadcast booths, an internal café and dedicated news conference room. The Circuit's massive Main Grandstand features permanent seating for 9,000, a variety of well-appointed suites, and the Velocity Lounge and hospitality area. Circuit of The Americas also offers a state-of-the-art on-site medical facility, parking for 25,000 vehicles, taxi and shuttle bus depots and a permanent heli-stop. For more information and downloadable video, audio and photos, visit: www.CircuitofTheAmericas.com, www.Austin360Amphitheater.com or the Circuit's dedicated FTP site, media.circuitoftheamericas.com.
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