thrillist

Glass ceiling keeping you down? Come to ATX, where they have glass floors, for looking at carbon fiber cars.

As the sun rose, the city still wasn't sure what awaited.

But everyone was reassured that if things got too exciting, they could get to the medical chopper.

Or the even faster medical car, which packs nearly 500hp and racing seats.

Turn One at COTA has over 130ft of elevation change, the steepest incline in all of Formula One...

... which seemed to suit these Porsches just fine...

... during the first of a trio of support races. Think old timers game, only not with old timers, and actually cool to watch.

The Ferraris were also there for a support race. The Grid Girls were just there for support.

Take that hill, Ferrari!

The last of the supporters -- the Historic Race -- really was like an old-timers game, where you make fun of the old timers until they punch you in the face because they're still better than you.

From the '70s, this Tyrrell P34 has six wheels. That's like running an offense with two quarterbacks at the same time.

But that can't compare to today's machines...

... which're strung higher than Woody Harrelson with a guitar...

... and require a big-ass pit crew.

Sebastian Vettel is good at securing pole position...

... but still hasn't figured out Rock, Paper, Scissors.

Lewis Hamilton seemed dejected after qualifying second...

... but didn't miss an opportunity to check out his rival's equipment.

F1 teams are notoriously secretive about tech, so we brought along a decoy to get stymied by the Official Stymier at right...

... while we took shots like this...

... and this. That vent at the top front was very controversial at the start of the year, mostly because no one knew what it did.

Carbon fiber really is used as much as possible, including in all of the outboard suspension.

They literally baby their tires, down to monitors and blankets.

Really. Monogrammed blankets for tires. You were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, tires!

Practicing pit stops is vital.

As is laying down rubber to get better traction out of the pits.

Teams are so obsessed with aerodynamics they actually feather the paint on gradually so it doesn't affect the front of the wing.

If Red Bull gives you wings, who gives Red Bull these even better wings?

Adrian Newey. Many consider him the greatest living car designer -- he makes like $10mil a year doing it -- but why is he drinking coffee by the Red Bull motorhome?

Especially considering they have a special formulation just for F1. It sort of tastes like cranberries mixed with... Red Bull.

But pretty much everything in F1's totally custom, down to the jacks...

... and McLaren's air guns that help them change all four tires in under three seconds.

One way or the other, all the top teams get it done fast.

Teams like Williams use a special dye that gets pushed around on the car so they can see how the latest aerodynamic bits work.

But the mother of all custom is a steering wheel like this Ferrari number, with buttons and dials that drivers have to be able to use effortlessly, even at 200mph.

They're way more complex than this girl's phone, for example.

They literally use a modified leaf blower to keep the brakes cool after the cars come back in.

If you can't duct it... (your line here).

Nerds?

A team boss has a million different radio channels to manage, and tons of computer data at the pit wall.

Everything's got to be spotless. Like, polish the floor, your mom on her most unreasonable day spotless.

This girl was there with Infiniti. If you ask her to take you to Infiniti and beyond, you will not receive the same smile.

Probably don't ask her, either.

Although, this girl looks like she doesn't mind getting dirty?

Pre-race hospitality is legendary in F1.

With plenty of lovely ladies to bring pretty much whatever you need.

Like tiny TVs where you pick both the audio and the video feed. No, you can't get Walking Dead on it.

Nuts for Champagne? There's a girl for that too.

Beef tenderloin is a great excuse...

... to call the wine server over.

This is Erok, Red Bull's globetrotting official DJ.

He mixes beats for the also-official Red Bull dancers.

When you're tired of the pre-race fun, head back outside for pre-race sun.

Or pretend you're someone important. This girl didn't stay long...

...because these are the only dudes allowed to wave that flag.

Yes, there is a man who gets paid to see how hot the track is.

So many women wanted to walk out on the track. Like this one.

And these ones.

But this is the Grid Girls' time to shine.

And stroll.

And pose for your favorite 1970s hair commercial.

The people in Race Control really are a collection of shadowy figures.

Photogs can get a little distracted from time to time,

Like now.

But then it's down to business when the drivers appear.

When the lights go out...

... the race can finally get underway.

Kimi Raikkonen certainly knew what he was doing.

Even this shirt said so.

Mark Webber retired fairly early on.

While Hamilton ultimately got past Vettel to take the win.

It really was next to impossible to get a signal at the track.

Rick Perry showed up to hand out the trophies, and hopefully some folksy wisdom about coyotes.

Then each of the top three finishers got a girl, and a hat!

But the girls walked off, and they just kept the hat.

Seriously, give it up with the cell phone, the Champagne Celebration's beginning.

In the end, Lewis Hamilton walked away happy, buzzed, and trying to ignore all the dudes yelling that he needed to go to the Yellow Rose -- which is where locals head for thrills when they can't watch 24 cars going 321 kilometers per hour.