The Mayor of Austin, Steve Alder, expects the US Grand Prix to get the go-ahead as early as this week and has not ruled out a second race at the Circuit of The Americas. There have been concerns over whether the event will take place amid rising COVID-19 cases in Texas where F1 is set to visit on October 24. In the last two months, the seven-day rolling average in the number of coronavirus cases has risen by more than 500. "I think right now we're set to go and I'm excited about that,” Adler told Speed City Broadcasting. "The Austin Public Health Authority is working with the modelers at the University of Texas and if that changes we'll certainly know. "But I know that the priority is to figure out how it is we run big events like this in a way that is safe. I think the Delta virus is going to be with us for a while. It's not an option to close back up cities in the way they had closed in the past. "Communities are going to have to learn how to deal with this kind of virus and deal with it in a safe way, because it's something I think we're going to have to sustain. "There was just a concert event out at COTA here recently and some of these precautions and mitigation efforts were taken. I guess at the request of the artist out there and we were real appreciative of that. I think that's the kind of thing that we're going to see more or more of." The US GP was cancelled last year due the coronavirus pandemic. Most sporting events have taken place across America with and Alder believes confirmation of the US GP will be announced no later than early September. "I think it could be as early as this week," Alder said. "I think it is probably likely that we will hear from the Health Authority this week, if not certainly by next week. "This is something that is being well thought-out as you might imagine, there are lots of people interested in this from lots of different kinds of perspectives. With the event coming up we recognise the need to be definitive and act with speed. "That said, I can tell you where we are right now and where the rules are right now and what we are trying to solve for. So let's wait, hopefully we'll hear official word this week." There has been talk about a potential second race at COTA due to the cancellation of the Japanese Grand Prix. Alder did not rule out the possibility of that happening. "To me, I was one of the early season ticket holders here so it's certainly something that as personal interest it's a great thing for our city," he said. "So if the Health Authority comes back and says that this is consistent with what we're doing to keep our community safe, I think it would be great to be able to see that. "I saw what happened with Singapore and Australia kind of bookending our event here, and I've heard that's a possibility and it would be an exciting prospect."
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