Austin has been invaded by Formula 1 and it’s obvious no matter where I go in the city. From the banners hanging from the bright street lights to clever advertisements written on barroom chalkboard, F1 has taken over.
The first thing I did after leaving the airport was to check-in to my hotel. And to no one’s surprise, I was greeted by the following projection:
Once I checked-in and posted my previous journal entry, it was off to downtown to find lunch.
I have a long-standing rule for when I'm on the road to always seek out a local pizzeria -- this one I chose in Austin was called Roppolo's. Their signature dish -- the Papa’s Calzone was the best I’ve had in a long time. I also got a little bit of work done at Roppolo’s asking the manager if he expected the Formula 1 race to increase business for local establishments. His response was somewhat hopeful.
"We’re not entirely sure yet," he said. "But we hope so. This is a different kind of crowd than what big events typically bring. We hope it will help us and the fact that you’re here is probably a good sign."
It was a good point, I thought. The pizza was good enough to bring me back should the race continue beyond this year.
After dinner, I walked down the world famous Sixth St. -- the Austin equivalent to New Orleans' Bourbon St. The presence of Formula 1 was felt here too, alongside the bars, nightclubs and restaurants. I found this sign particularly amusing:
Next up: Dinner with Infiniti executives where they will explain what they hope to accomplish in the American market via the United States Grand Prix and Team Red Bull.
To keep up with my Formula 1 adventure, check back to SB Nation F1 for more United States Grand Prix diary entries and follow me on Twitter at @MattWeaverSBN
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