Circuit of the Americas has borrowed a page from Bristol Motor Speedway’s playbook, where it asks drivers to pick their favorite songs to be played during pre-race introductions.
Based in one of the best music towns in the U.S., COTA is doing a similar thing for the upcoming Formula One United States Grand Prix (Oct. 21-23), asking F1 drivers to choose two or three of their favorite driving songs they’d like to play while hitting the road.
Given how many drivers are not from the United States, the list is rather surprising given how many picks are from American bands.
Tied for most popular singers/bands were The Eagles and Michael Jackson, with three picks each.
The most popular song was The Eagles’ “Hotel California” with three picks, while Jackson’s hits were split between “Billie Jean” (two picks) and “Thriller” (one pick).
Musicians who were picked twice were Bruce Springsteen, The Beach Boys, Ty Dolla $ign, U2, Kings of Leon, Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars, MadeInTYO and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Songs that were picked twice included: Springsteen’s “Born In The USA,” The Beach Boys’ “Surfin’ USA,” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama,”
And earning one pick each were: Prince, America, Steppenwolf, PMMP, Uncle Lucius, The Lumineers, Mr. Wives, The Offspring, Pharrell, The Killers, Rascal Flatts, Justin Timberlake, Coldplay, Enrique Iglesias, The Rolling Stones, Metallica, Motorhead, Frank Sinatra, ZZ Top, Pearl Jam, The Doors, AC/DC, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Fleetwood Mac.
Without question, the driver with the widest variety of taste in music had to be Danill Kvyat, who chose Metallica’s “Whiskey in the Jar,” Motorhead’s “Ace of Spades” and … wait for it … Frank Sinatra’s “Strangers in the Night.”
A close second for variety had to be Kimi Raikkonen, who went way back for Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild,” America’s “A Horse with No Name,” and PMMP’s “Pikkuveli.”
Here’s the complete list of drivers and their song picks:
Lewis Hamilton:
Wavy – Ty Dolla $ign
Campaign – Ty Dolla $ign
I Want – MadeinTYO
Nico Rosberg:
Beautiful Day – U2
Surfin’ U.S.A. – The Beach Boys
Sex On Fire – Kings of Leon
Sebastian Vettel:
Born in the USA – Bruce Springsteen
Little Red Corvette – Prince
Kimi Raikkonen:
A Horse with No Name – America
Born to Be Wild – Steppenwolf
Pikkuveli – PMMP
Daniel Ricciardo:
Keep The Wolves Away – Uncle Lucius
Stubborn Love – The Lumineers
The Western – Mr. Wives
Max Verstappen:
Billy Jean – Michael Jackson
Thriller – Michael Jackson
Valtteri Bottas:
Born in the USA – Bruce Springsteen
Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Pretty Fly (For a White Guy) – The Offspring
Felipe Massa:
Happy – Pharrell
Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars
Hotel California – The Eagles
Esteban Gutierrez:
All These Things That I’ve Done – The Killers
Use Somebody – Kings of Leon
Life is a Highway – Rascal Flatts
Romain Grosjean:
Can’t Stop the Feeling – Justin Timberlake
Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars
Billie Jean – Michael Jackson
Sergio Perez:
Vertigo – U2
Viva la Vida – Coldplay
Bailando – Enrique Iglesias
Nico Hülkenberg:
Hotel California – The Eagles
Surfin’ U.S.A. – The Beach Boys
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – The Rolling Stones
Daniil Kvyat:
Whisky in the Jar – Metallica
Ace of Spades – Motörhead
Strangers in the Night – Frank Sinatra
Felipe Nasr:
Sharp Dressed Man – ZZ Top
L.A. Woman – The Doors
Even Flow – Pearl Jam
Marcus Ericsson:
Simple Man – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Hotel California – The Eagles
Back In Black – AC/DC
Jolyon Palmer:
Californication – Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Chain – Fleetwood Mac
Kevin Magnussen:
Born in the USA – Bruce Springsteen
Fans are encouraged to share their favorite songs on social media, using the hashtag #COTASoundtrack via:
Twitter: @circuitamericas
Facebook: facebook.com/circuitoftheamericas
Instagram: @cota_official
Also, check out the Spotify Playlist link:
https://open.spotify.com/user/circuitoftheamericas/playlist/3ywA9TrsoI8TREwSYWGFaH
COTA Blog:
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