If you’re in Austin, Texas, for next week’s Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, you won’t want to miss the city’s other highlights—if nothing else, you’ve got to find some good barbecue. Apple adds another dimension to the Texas capital by applying its Detailed City Experience treatment in Apple Maps, including the Circuit of the Americas route where the race is held every year.
Apple improved Maps Austin layout with detailed 3D day and night renderings of landmarks such as The Paramount Theater, Sixth Street, Texas State Capitol building and Terry Black’s BBQ. Navigation improvements include roads with lanes (including bus and bike lanes) marked and more accurate elevation.
The race site marks the turns of the track, shows 3D versions of the grandstands and pit building, as well as the entry-entry points. It also includes flourishes like the stars-and-stripes design of the drop zones. (But not the world’s largest cowboy hat, unfortunately, which is still being built for the event.)
Apple, which is the official US broadcaster for F1 races on Apple TV, previously applied the Detailed City Experience glow-up to Monaco, which hosts one of the most popular F1 races of the entire tournament (several top racers call Monaco home), as well as the Albert Park Grand Prix circuit in Melbourne.
The improvements to Apple Maps are not just visual additions – the app on the iPhone is also an invaluable guide for getting directions and finding places of interest.
For example, those attending the F1 race can get directions to COTA and see where roads have been temporarily closed or diverted for the event. But it will also guide you to the section you’re sitting in and help you find race-specific areas like bathrooms and first aid areas.
While the F1 race is a big reason to visit Austin, it’s just one of many things to do in the state’s capital. For that weekend and the rest of the year, Apple has created a new curated guide from country music singer-songwriter Dylan Gossett. You’ll find the race track (where Gossett once worked), as well as his favorite bar, the Armadillo Den, and his favorite guitar shop, Moon Music Pro.
The Austin enhancements to Apple Maps are now available on Apple devices and on the web.
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