F1: chomp, gulp, choke. That's the sound of a hat being eaten

When we've looked at The Circuit of the Americas (tweely known by its owners as COTA) in Austin, Texas, we've been a bit disparaging, largely, it has to be said, because there has been so much uncertainty over whether it would ever come into being or whether, if it did, it would be ready in time for its inaugural Formula One race. We didn't expressly say "if a decent track comes out of this mess, I'll eat my hat," but it was strongly implied. Pass the ketchup, please.