COTA Building 75-Foot Giant Cowboy Hat for Guinness World Record Attempt Ahead of US Grand Prix

Circuit of the Americas is going full Texas for Formula 1's return to Austin. The track is putting the finishing touches on a giant cowboy hat measuring 75 feet — roughly 23 metres — at its Lone Star Land fan area, with plans to submit it for a Guinness World Record as the largest of its kind.

According to COTA president Bobby Epstein, the structure is built from fibreglass and will house a themed bar inside. Construction is nearly complete, and a Guinness World Records representative is expected to inspect the attraction on Thursday, October 22, the day before spectators arrive for the Grand Prix weekend on October 23–25. Guinness currently lists no official record for the world's largest cowboy hat, so COTA would establish a brand-new benchmark rather than beat an existing one.

Epstein said the hat is meant to outlast the race weekend and become a permanent, highly visible landmark at the circuit, reinforcing the Texas identity that has defined the US Grand Prix since it joined the calendar. The venue already leans into its surroundings — the 2022 edition famously saw Daniel Ricciardo arrive on horseback in boots, jeans and a cowboy hat.

The record attempt is part of a broader entertainment push for the weekend. Maroon 5 and Post Malone are scheduled to perform, and a new COTALAND entertainment area is due to open alongside the racing.