Audi and F1 Academy Driver Emma Felbermayr experienced the 2026 United States Grand Prix together in Austin, where a schedule change brought the series to Circuit of the Americas for the first time. For Felbermayr, it was her first visit to the track; for Audi, it was the team’s first US Grand Prix weekend in the city.
The weekend’s hospitality program connected Audi with 1 Hotel Austin and SingleThread, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Sonoma County. The partnership, called “Driven by the Journey,” featured a five-course dinner created by chef Kyle Connaughton using produce selected by farmer Katina Connaughton.
Guests also received access to parts of the race weekend beyond the grandstands. The program included a tour of Audi’s F1 garage, a Paddock Club visit and a Pirelli Hot Lap in an Audi RS 5, driven by Audi F1 ambassador and F1 Academy mentor Carrie Schreiner. Another hospitality option, the Guest House at Turn 20, offered views of the final corner, food, drinks and performances.
Felbermayr said she enjoyed the scale of Circuit of the Americas, noting that the track felt especially wide from the perspective of an F1 Academy car. The driver, who was competing at the venue for the first time, finished the weekend third in the series standings. She said that extra time in each host city has become part of her routine this season, giving her a chance to adjust to the time zone and explore before racing.
With one F1 Academy event remaining on the calendar, Felbermayr said she planned to reset before the final round in Las Vegas. She also said she had not yet settled on plans for next season as she approaches the end of her two-year limit in the series.
Sources: Cosmopolitan.