Haas F1 Team is embarking on a second event in 2022 on home soil with the United States Grand Prix, at Austin's Circuit of The Americas, set to play host to Round 19.

Austin is this year celebrating its 10th anniversary since its inauguration and debut on the Formula 1 World Championship calendar. Texas' capital city swiftly established itself as a favorite of the Formula 1 community, owing to its vibrant hub and passionate fanbase, while the layout of COTA was a hit among the drivers. It gave Formula 1 the US Grand Prix it had craved for decades, with last year's running reaching new heights, attracting over 400,000 spectators through the course of the weekend. Part of that grand prix also includes Haas Hill, located between turns 18 and 19 at COTA, where Haas F1 Team fans have gathered since 2016 in order to display their support for the team based out of Kannapolis, North Carolina.

COTA has provided plenty of thrills since debuting in 2012 and its track layout is conducive to enthralling action. High speed changes of direction through the first sector of the lap take inspiration from iconic circuits Silverstone and Suzuka, while the final chunk of the track features a combination of turns, including the long-radius turn 17, which has become the circuit's showpiece corner beneath the Observation Tower. These turns are segmented by the lengthy back straightaway that presents drivers with the best overtaking opportunity around the lap.

Racers Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher are geared up to represent Haas F1 Team on US turf for the second time in 2022, following the Miami Grand Prix in May. Magnussen has partaken in five grands prix at COTA, including three with Haas F1 Team, while Schumacher stands in good stead after his 2021 experience of the venue. Scuderia Ferrari Reserve Driver Antonio Giovinazzi will return to the VF-22 for Free Practice 1, following his prior outing at Monza, and will replace Magnussen for the session.

Formula 1 returns to the Circuit of The Americas for Round 19 of the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship and for the event's 10th birthday. Can you summarize what the addition of the US Grand Prix has brought to the sport, both from a commercial and popularity perspective?
Guenther Steiner - Team Principal: "When the US Grand Prix in Austin was first held, it was something completely new. Formula 1 hadn't been in the States for a long time and there were a lot of naysayers saying it wouldn't work. Thanks to Bobby Epstein, who kept on pushing, as it's now a fan favorite after 10 years. Formula 1 without Austin is difficult to think about - Austin has become a classic. It has brought a lot to the fans as they can go to a great event, this season with 400,000 expected spectators and for the rest of the world, it's great racing in the States."

It's going to be a busy event for Haas F1 Team at its ‘home' race, with lots of events, activations, and a few surprises as well. Does a home race bring more pressure, or do you see it as a moment to celebrate everyone involved in the team and how far Haas has come in its seven years on the grid?
GS: "It's a mix of both. First of all, it's a lot of work because there's lot of things going on, a lot of events but it's all good things going on and good work. Especially for our team, being our home race, it's always great and everybody loves coming to Austin. There's nothing negative about Austin, it's all positive. Hopefully we can get a good result as well."

It can't go unnoticed that every race you turn up to you're becoming almost more popular than drivers, with fans eager to engage with you for autographs and photos. How do you deal with the attention - especially during an intense race weekend like COTA - and is it something you're getting used to thanks to the Netflix effect?
GS: "You have to get used to it and how I deal with it, I try to give back to the fans as much as I can. It's not always possible because there is a lot of attention now, but I respect the fans a lot. Without the fans we wouldn't be anybody. I enjoy interacting with the fans and I try to do my best."

With COTA becoming the place for America's hardcore Formula 1 fan base, and having now raced in Miami this season and with Las Vegas coming up, where do you see those races finding their niche amongst US fans and what qualities does each bring to the calendar?
GS: "I would say COTA is for hardcore fans - they've been here now for 10 years and everybody loves to go there, it's a great race track, great event and a great city. Miami is Miami, we had a lot of people this year, more than a lot, and it's another great event but it was completely different, it was like a big festival. I don't know what Las Vegas will be but it will be big as well. We always have to think that the US is a big country and to have three races, it's still not enough, I believe. There is something for everybody and I think each event has something in particular about it. Two of them have done a good job and I'm sure Las Vegas will do a good job as well."

Formula 1 returns to the Circuit of The Americas for Round 19 of the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. What were your initial impressions of the circuit when you first raced there in 2014 and how has that evolved over the years - have you changed your approach at all?
Kevin Magnussen: "I don't think it's really evolved in terms of how I approach it. It's a great track, it has become very bumpy so some years when we get there it's super bumpy and then others, they grind down those bumps so the circuit changes its character a little bit in that way. As I said, it's a great track, especially sector 1 - it's super high-speed, the ‘esses' I think are actually some of the coolest corners in F1. There's a bit too much run-off for my liking but the layout itself is very cool, so I'm looking forward to going back there."

They say everything is bigger in Texas and Turn 1 certainly lives up to that statement. With a steep uphill approach, how do you master that on lap 1 and manage to overtake during the race without losing the place back through Turn 3 - 6?
KM: "It's a pretty unique corner. It becomes very wide towards the apex, you can't actually see the track as it's over a crest and it's super wide. The apex itself is very narrow so it creates opportunities for a lot of different lines. Overtaking there is a big opportunity with it being straight after a DRS zone as well. There aren't many corners that have that sort of width to it. It's kind of easy to lock-up towards the apex because you go over that crest but as you hit the brakes, you're on that hill so you can brake very hard because of that. After Turn 1, you go downhill again into those ‘esses' and that's where following becomes a bit tricky so if you've got the position, it's pretty easy to keep it afterwards because of the high-speed corners."

It's going to be a busy event for Haas F1 Team at its ‘home' race, with lots of events, activations, and a few surprises as well. Have you felt the growth of the sport in America, both competing for Haas, but also taking a year away from the sport but racing in America, now you're back inside the paddock?
KM: "It's exciting coming back to our home race although you could say we have a few home races now, but COTA is a bit special I feel. We've got Haas Hill there and I feel it's one event where we have a bit of extra pressure because I feel like we want to get a good result at our home race."

It's the Circuit of The Americas' 10th birthday this season, with Haas F1 Team competing in five of those races. With COTA becoming the place for America's hardcore fan base in that time, and having now raced in Miami this season and with Las Vegas coming up, where do you see those races finding their niche amongst US fans and what qualities does each bring to the calendar?
KM: "I think from the beginning COTA has been pretty special because there were so many people there. I don't think it was a sold-out event at the beginning but it certainly was last year, so it's become very visual how Formula 1 has grown in the US. It's still kind of got that American motorsport feel to it - on the back straight you can see the campers and the big RVs - which is how Americans tend to go to races if you go to IMSA, IndyCar and others. At the same time, all the fans who don't go camping but go there for the event on Sunday, I think a lot of them are new fans and that's cool. In Miami it seemed like there was a lot of new fans, with a lot of people coming to the race who I feel probably haven't seen a race a Formula 1 race on television, and I expect the same with Las Vegas. That's a part of Formula 1 too now and I think Netflix has really put the sport on the map, and that's very good."

We know you're a big fan of the US and you went directly to Austin after the Japanese Grand Prix. What have you been up to and how excited are you for this weekend?
Mick Schumacher: "I went to Dallas. It's no secret that I really love going to the States for so many reasons and definitely having the ranch there is a big perk. We've been driving on the Can-Am's, having fun, disconnecting a bit and spending some time with my sister and the horses. I'm definitely looking forward to the race, I'm pumped for it."

It's going to be a busy event for Haas F1 Team at its ‘home' race, with lots of events, activations, and a few surprises as well. How does it feel to be racing here this season - in the fight for seventh place in the Constructors' Championship and after achieving a milestone in your own career scoring points - compared to last season?
MS: "We have a lot of cool things coming up this week, so I'm ready to get stuck in. This season feels like a completely different experience compared to last year. It was my rookie season so I spent a lot of time getting used to procedures and learning the car. We knew going into it that we wouldn't be fighting for points, and it would be a challenge, but throughout it all the team maintained their professionalism and never gave up. This season it feels like there's a buzz around the team and we're on the up. Every person at Haas has worked so hard to get us back up there, so it's an honor to represent the team, especially when coming to COTA."

Last season you secured 16th on your F1 debut in Austin, what are the objectives for this weekend and where do you think you'll be battling come Sunday?
MS: "Austin is a track we expect to work pretty well for our car. We know that recently things have been difficult and usually we've been struck by an unlucky race, or weekend in general. Hopefully we'll be able to turn it around at our home race and as we have some nice stuff coming up, that will hopefully bring us luck. I'm excited about hopefully scoring points in the States."

It's the Circuit of The Americas' 10th birthday this season, with Haas F1 Team competing in five of the races. With COTA becoming the place for America's hardcore fan base, having raced in Miami this season and with Las Vegas coming up, where do you see those races finding their niche and what qualities does each bring to the calendar?
MS: "COTA has been a part of Formula 1 for quite some time now and it's great to see it returning next year, as well with its companions in Miami and Las Vegas. I'm looking forward to them and to experience Las Vegas - I haven't been there up until now. It will be interesting to see the Elvis priest and the casinos, I'm very excited about it!"