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COTA names final corner after F1 legend Mario Andretti

The Circuit of the Americas in Austin, the venue for this week's U.S. Grand Prix, has paid tribute to 1978 F1 World Champion Mario Andretti by renaming its final corner after the motorsport legend.

COTA's tight left-hand Turn 20 has been named 'The Andretti' in honour of the twelve-time Grand Prix winner and the last American to win the F1 world championship.

An official naming ceremony will take place at the circuit on Thursday with the 82-year-old Andretti in attendance.

Andretti was closely involved in the design of The Circuit of the Americas ahead of the track's inauguration in October of 2012.

The vision of two men, investors Bobby Epstein and Red McCombs, COTA was the first purpose-built Grand Prix facility in the United States.

Since, the 5.514 km track has become one of Formula 1's most popular destinations for fans and competitors alike, with 400,000 spectators attending last year's event of three days.

Read also: Andretti 'satisfies bucket list' with run in modern F1 McLaren

And ticket sales for this year's race indicate that even more fans will converge to vibrant Austin this week, with organisers adding additional grandstands to accommodate demand.

Andretti was initially scheduled to take to the track at COTA onboard a modern F1 car for a few demo laps, courtesy of McLaren's Zak Brown.
But the American hero's "bucket list" joy ride actually took place last weekend at Laguna Seca, where Andretti drove in anger a 2013 Mercedes-powered McLaren MP4-28.

You can read more about Mario's modern F1 experience here.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.