3D Circuit of the Americas Track Model

The Circuit of the Americas (COTA) is one of the most famous racetracks in the world, located in Austin, Texas, and it’s home to Formula 1, MotoGP, IndyCar, and many other major racing events. As a Formula 1 fan, I wanted to bring the track into the digital world by modeling it in Fusion 360 and preparing it for 3D printing.

In my very first Instructables project, I’ll show you how I went from a simple track image to a finished 3D Formula 1 COTA racing track model that’s ready for printing. Follow along with these simple instructions, and you will have a solid foundation to build your own custom racing track display!

Tools and Materials:

1. Software: Fusion 360
2. Hardware: 3D Printer (any FDM printer works)
3. Material: PLA filament (any color, though black, white, or red looks great)

To start, I needed a reference image of the COTA layout.

1. In Fusion 360, I opened a new design and went to Insert → Canvas.
2. I selected my image of the track and placed it on the XY plane.
3. I resized and aligned the image so that it filled my workspace and was easy to trace.

📌 Tip: A high-contrast track outline works best, since you’ll be tracing directly over it.

Now it was time to convert the image into a sketch.

1. I created a new Sketch on the same plane as the canvas.
2. Using the Fit Point Spline tool, I traced carefully around the outline of the track. Splines made it easier to capture the curves and sharp corners of COTA.
3. Once I completed the loop, I finished the sketch.

Now I had a closed profile of the track shape that I could turn into a 3D model.

Next, I gave the track some thickness.

1. I selected the closed sketch profile.
2. Using the Extrude tool, I pulled the shape up by about 3 mm.
3. This created a solid “track plate” as the foundation for the model.

To make the track stand out more, I carved out an inner path.

1. I started a new sketch on top of the extruded surface.
2. I traced the inside of the track again, leaving a thin border to represent the track walls.
3. Using Extrude → Cut, I lowered that inner section by 1–2 mm.

This gave the track a raised outline, almost like a mini race circuit.

To make the piece more recognizable, I added the track name.

1. I created another sketch near the track model.
2. Using the Text tool, I typed “CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS.”
3. I positioned the text neatly inside the empty space of the model.
4. Finally, I extruded the text upward so it stood out clearly.

Once the design was complete, I exported it as an STL file.

1. In Fusion 360, I went to File → Export → STL.
2. I imported the STL into my slicer software (I used Cura, but any slicer works).
3. I set my print settings as follows:
4. Layer height: 0.2 mm
5. Infill: 15–20% (if printing thicker)
6. Supports: Off (not needed here)
7. Material: PLA

With the file sliced, I sent it to the printer. The print took just a couple of hours and came out great on the first try!

For finishing touches, you could:

1. Paint the track outline black and the base red or white.
2. Mount it on a board or frame for wall art.
3. Print multiple tracks and start a racing collection

Future Ideas

This model is just the beginning. Here are some next steps I’d like to try:

1. Scale the track up for a larger wall display.
2. Add LED lights around the track outline.
3. Make other famous Formula 1 tracks for a complete set.

And that’s it, we made our very own 3D printed model of the Circuit of the Americas Formula 1 race track. Light's out and away we go!