Beyond the bloated hype, why the Las Vegas GP is worth waking up for
F1
What to watch for at the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix: There's been no dodging F1's relentless publicity train, and there's a lot more to come. But a high-speed circuit and the uncertainty of the brand new event are raising hopes of a gripping race
Can the Las Vegas Grand Prix live up to the hype? For F1’s marketing department, this season appears to have been less about the championship and more about ticking off the days until the series returns to Nevada.
There have been launch parties, demonstrations, and even countdown clocks to the race muscling in on recent grands prix. There’ll be no respite when the engines start up either, with a bloated schedule of events, one-off liveries, and heavily-branded hoardings, not to mention a vast orb of advertising planted right next to the circuit.
But at least there’s hope of genuine entertainment as cars tear down The Strip at more then 200mph, past the famous neon skyline, which is more than can be said for the much-derided previous effort in the 1980s, held in the Caesars Palace car park.
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Max Verstappen will be looking to extend his record-breaking tally of 17 race wins this season, but the scene could be set for an upset: on this unknown circuit with cold temperatures forecast and a tight first turn, finding the right set-up and avoiding trouble are likely to be bigger challenges than usual, lowering the odds of a surprise winner.
Lando Norris has been edging closer to Verstappen in recent races. Should his run of form continue, the Briton could find himself at the centre of the action.
From a star-studded opening ceremony to potential cold weather mayhem, here’s what to watch for at the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The opening ceremony
Las Vegas held an official launch event in 2022, but it’s set to be dwarfed by the showcase ahead of the 2023 race weekend
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F1 has invested heavily in the Las Vegas Grand Prix, and that extends to a one-off opening party this year, which could make the Miami Grand Prix, with its over-the-top driver introductions and celebrity appearances, seem like a village disco.
Alongside A-list artists — including Kylie Minogue, John Legend, Tiësto, will.i.am and Thirty Seconds to Mars — plus a performance from Cirque du Soleil, all 20 F1 drivers and teams will be introduced on Wednesday 15 November at 9.30pm local time (Thursday, 5.30am GMT) on a stage next to the giant Sphere.
Built in 2023, the structure’s surface is studded with 1.2m hockey-puck sized LED lights which combine to display dynamic video on a massive scale. It will be an unmissable feature throughout the weekend, as the track winds around the building. We know that it will display race information and sponsor videos, but what else? Will we see large driver helmets? 360 degree on-boards live from the cockpit of racing cars? Or maybe highlights of some of F1’s most memorable moments?
A drive into the unknown
This weekend will be the first time that the Las Vegas circuit as a whole has existed, so there has been no testing, shakedowns or junior races.
Teams will be hoping that their simulators have given them the right guidance for their an initial set-up, but there remain several unknowns, including how the newly-laid surface will affect the tyres, and whether any bumps are likely to catch the drivers out.
What’s clear, though, is that we’re in for a high-speed spectacle. Haas reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi has experienced the circuit in the team simulator, and you can read his track guide in the December issue of Motor Sport.
The world championship’s newest venue has also been available to play on EA Sport’s F1 23 game since its launch in June and — until the cars leave the pitlane — armchair experts who’ve honed their lap times in the virtual world can also give us useful pointers on the layout.
Two-time F1 Esports World Champion Jarno Opmeer has raced it extensively and offers his view on the circuit, as well as where drivers can make up time in the Mercedes video below.
Several heavy braking areas will provide chances to overtake, most notably at Turn 14 which marks the end of the 1.1-mile main straight. Here, cars will slow from over 212mph to around 50mph, which is a surefire recipe for opportunistic lunges, before getting back on the power for a long blast back down toward the Turn 1 hairpin which looks to be another spot to watch drivers attempt passes.
Another DRS-assisted straight ends abruptly at Turn 5, where the road narrows significantly. Overtaking here won’t be as easy, but it could be a strategic move; the technical section that follows will allow higher-downforce cars to pull out a gap before returning to the main straight.
The cold weather
Las Vegas’s desert location makes for chilly nights, and forecasts suggest a temperature of around 10C for the race start at 10pm, local time on Saturday.
Not only does this present a very different climate for the drivers who have spent the last few weeks coping with the searing heat of Qatar, Mexico City and Brazil, but it could potentially cause a few issues for the cars too.
Alonso wrapped up on Tuesday night track walk
Alamy
Keeping the cars at their optimum temperature will be made more difficult by the long run down The Strip, during which little or no heat is generated in the tyres and brakes, but plenty is lost as the cool air whips past.
It will be no surprise to see lock-ups or cars running wide as drivers hit the brakes and find themselves with reduced stopping power. Reduced grip with cold tyres will also slow cars in corners and increase tyre wear, as the rubber slides across the track surface.
Safety cars and red flag stoppages are a particular concern for teams, as drivers can quickly slide down the running order if they can’t fire their tyres back up to temperature when racing resumes.
It will be a chilly experience for fans at the trackside too, although there are plenty of options to warm up by paying for hospitality and off-track events.
Andretti talk…
Andretti could become F1’s eleventh constructor by as soon as 2026 — with their engine partner now official
Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images
In the third US race of the season, the continued lack of an American-based F1 team will be starker than ever, as uncertainty over Andretti’s application to join the grid continues.
It has been more than a month since the FIA approved the bid; a crucial step in Andretti’s goal of becoming the 11th F1 team. It remains waiting at final major obstacle though. Formula One Management, which organises and runs the series, is yet to rubber-stamp the new team, with existing teams calling for the entry price to be raised.
Despite the deadlock — or perhaps as a result of it — General Motors, which has partnered with the bid, has registered as an official F1 power unit supplier, joining the likes of Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull Powertrains.
Expect more scrutiny of the process this weekend.
Maximum commitment: F1’s chapel of love
F1’s embracing the Vegas cliches
Dan Istitene/F1 via Getty Images
F1 has shown in recent seasons that its thirst for a gimmick knows no bounds, with cringeworthy driver intros in Miami, increasingly underwhelming one-off liveries and ever-more cheesy episodes of Drive to Survive – but Las Vegas is looking to take things to another level.
Playing card suits painted onto the apexes is just the start: in tribute to Daniel Ricciardo, the Bellagio will have the “MGM Rewards Shoey Bar”, with the chance to have a beverage of your choice served in some racing driver footwear. Expect a Ted Kravitz Sky Sports F1 preview piece to feature it coming to you very soon.
Also have a look for the more devoted fans’ new hairdos: the Aria’s Alfa Romeo Experience allows you to get a Valtteri Bottas-themed mullet trim.
It gets worse, or better, depending on your outlook: right next to the pit building is an officially licensed “Race to the Altar” chapel where you can tie the knot at breakneck speed. It features a neon sign saying “Lights Out And Together We Go” – shudder. Crofty has a lot to answer for.
