The Top 5 Corners at Circuit of The Americas

There's an aura permeating through the Circuit of The America's grandstands. Drive through the front gate, and you can feel it. Great racetracks have that kind of presence. And CoTA is no doubt one of the greats.

This week, the fastest motorcycle racers in the world will descend on the hills bordering Austin, Texas, for yet another crack at the challenging, 3.41-mile, 20-turn circuit. Here’s a look at some of the corners you’ll want to pay close attention to, whether you’re in the grandstands or watching from home. They truly are some of the best in the world.

Turn 1: Turn 1 is one of the most unique corners of any racetrack—and also one of the best. A tight left-hander, it's situated at the top of 133-foot hill that enables you to apply more brake pressure without lifting the back tire coming off the ground. Think you've gone in too deep? That incline says you haven't. Look for some great late-braking moves here.

Turn 9: Turn 9 comes quick. Your brain is still trying to catch up following a series of fast, right-left transitions, and it all culminates in this beautifully complex left-hander. Hit it correctly and the rear will step out, the front wheel just barely clinging to the ground. If you're Marc Marquez you hit it properly every time. And if you're on the sidelines watching closely, you're in for a treat.

Turn 10: MotoAmerica Superbike racer Josh Herrin said it best when he described the 100-plus-mph turn 10, saying that, "You go over a drop-off, and it feels like you're on the edge of the world." This is one of those corners that's part fun, part terrifying. Maybe the first because of the second.

Turn 15: There aren't a lot of corners like turn 15. Anywhere. That's a challenge because one of the tricks to conquering a turn is to compare it to similar corners, at tracks you're more familiar with. Getting in to turn 15, you're hard on the brakes and leaned over, so much so that the rear tire unweights and wants to step out. Full flat-track style. The best of the best will drop their elbow over the inside curb, and from the trackside grandstands, you'll get the perfect view of what absolute precision looks like.

Turn 18: Turn 18 is one of those corners that makes every other turn at CoTA feel more like a means for getting back to this one, single turn. In this fast right-hander, you'll feel the rear tire stepping out as you pour the power on. It's fast, it's exciting, and it'll almost always leave you with an uncontrollable grin. You're almost done with the lap, and this is the cherry on top.