Formula One Preview: Las Vegas Grand Prix
- Peter Johnson
- 40 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Written by Peter Johnson, Edited by Dhara Dave
Formula One returns to the streets of Sin City as Lando Norris closes in on a maiden World Championship title.
Circuit Guide
The Las Vegas Strip Circuit joined the calendar in 2023 and has produced an explosive couple of races since its introduction.
The 6.2-kilometre, 17-corner circuit winds around Vegas, with the highlight of the lap a 1.9-kilometre blast down the city’s iconic boulevard, better known as the Strip.
Formula One owns the plot of land upon which the start-finish straight sits, meaning the pit lane, paddock and first couple of corners were all tailor-made for F1.
The track also winds around the iconic Las Vegas Sphere, an entertainment venue opened just weeks before the inaugural Grand Prix.
The trip down the Strip takes in landmarks including Caesars Palace (not THE Caesar’s Palace), the Venetian Hotel and the Bellagio Fountains.
Weekend Format
Sandwiched in between two sprint weekends in Brazil and Qatar, it’s the usual format in Nevada - albeit, much later at night if you’re watching in Europe.
If you’re watching in the US, the on-track action takes place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, though, with lights out at 8pm on Saturday local time.
Session Times (GMT)
Practice 1: Fri 00:30 - 01:30
Practice 2: Fri 04:00 - 05:00
Practice 3: Sat 00:30 - 01:30
Qualifying: Sat 04:00 - 05:00
Race: Sun 04:00
Weather Forecast
There is a lingering 30-40% chance of rain across Thursday evening and into Friday, meaning any of the three practice sessions or qualifying may be spiced up by showers.
There is no such threat for Saturday evening though, with the race set to run under a dry night sky.
Major Talking Points
The title battle nears its conclusion: Norris cannot wrap the title up in Las Vegas, but he could certainly make it a near certainty if results go his way. A third straight victory for the Briton alongside a disastrous night for rivals Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen could see him leave Vegas with as much as a 49-point lead with just 58 on the table thereafter.
Ferrari in crisis: Ferrari chairman John Elkann did not mince his words after the Brazilian Grand Prix, suggesting that his superstar drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton should “talk less” and “focus on driving.” The Scuderia suffered a double-DNF in São Paulo, slipping from second to fourth in the Constructors’ Championship.
Norris chasing personal records: It is fair to say Norris has hit the form of his life at just the right moment. A victory in Las Vegas would give the McLaren driver a third straight Grand Prix win for the first time in his career, while a podium would equal his career-best streak of five top-three finishes.
Wolff looking to sell: News from the Silver Arrows last week revealed that Team Principal and part owner Toto Wolff is in advanced talks to sell part of his shares in the team. The Austrian owns one third of the outfit and is looking to sell a shareholding amounting to around 5%. Wolff would remain Team Principal and CEO in the event of a sale. The deal values Mercedes at around £4.5 billion, making the team most valuable in F1 history.
F1 teams pledge support to Academy: In a major boost to F1 Academy, which races alongside F1 in Vegas this weekend, all ten current teams plus the incoming Cadillac have pledged their long-term support to the feeder series. All ten of the teams in the grid this year will continue to back a car in F1 Academy from 2026 onwards in a multi-year deal, while Cadillac will join the women’s series in 2027.
Past Las Vegas Grands Prix
We’ve only had two past races on the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, with both races delivering cracking entertainment.
The inaugural event in 2023 had a rather controversial opening, with Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari ripping up a drain cover within minutes of Free Practice 1 starting. The accident cost Ferrari a seven-figure sum of money, while fans were ejected from the circuit before the on-track action resumed.
Since then, things have gone rather more smoothly for the event organisers. The 2023 race itself is best remembered for a stunning final corner overtake by Charles Leclerc on Sergio Pérez for second place, while Lando Norris will be looking to avoid a repeat of the accident that ended his race prematurely that year.
Max Verstappen may not have followed up his 2023 triumph with victory last year, but a fifth-placed finish was enough to secure his fourth drivers’ title with two rounds to spare.
The 2024 edition was also a landmark occasion for Mercedes, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton delivering the team its 60th 1-2 finish. Hamilton’s drive to second from tenth on the grid remains his most recent Grand Prix podium.
Rifling through the archives, you will find the short-lived Caesars Palace Grand Prix, which ran on two occasions on the grounds of the famous hotel. The temporary circuit, erected in the hotel’s car park, was by no means a hit, and hosted just two races in 1981 and 1982.
The 1981 event was won by Williams’ Alan Jones, while Brazilian driver Nelson Piquet finished fifth to secure his first world title. Tyrell’s Michele Alboreto won the race in 1982, before the circuit - considered in many quarters to be one of the worst F1 has ever visited - was consigned to history.
Last Race Recap
Lando Norris followed up his dominant victory in Mexico with another comfortable win in Brazil.
The Briton’s margin of victory was nowhere near as great as in Mexico City, but despite Max Verstappen’s best efforts to charge through the field, the win looked relatively assured throughout.
The Dutchman recovered spectacularly after a disastrous Qualifying session, which saw him eliminated in Q1 on pure pace for the first time ever. Leading the race by Lap 52, Verstappen surrendered track position with a late pit stop and eventually finished third behind Kimi Antonelli, who claimed the best result of his young career.
Had the reigning champion happened upon his set up, and indeed fresh engine earlier in the weekend, he would surely have been poised to take victory on both Saturday and Sunday.
Former championship leader Oscar Piastri had a weekend to forget, crashing out of the sprint race before having to settle for fifth place on Sunday. The Australian also incurred a ten-second penalty for a collision with Antonelli which led to Charles Leclerc’s retirement.
It was also a nightmare weekend for Ferrari, who picked up just six points across the weekend and fell below both Mercedes and Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship.
Drivers to Watch
Lando Norris: In the richest vein of form of his career to date, he cannot win the title in Vegas but can secure a third straight victory. His record on this circuit is not dazzling though, with a DNF and sixth place to date.
Max Verstappen: The Dutchman showed electrifying pace in Brazil and proved beyond any doubt that he will fight for the title until it is mathematically out of his reach. The four-time champion has a win and a fifth place to his name in Vegas to date, but did clinch the title here in 2024 despite his relatively lowly finishing spot.
George Russell: The Mercedes man won from pole in Vegas last year, which was something of a surprise to everyone given the team’s performance throughout 2024. Russell has looked rather imperious in recent rounds and despite a rare finish behind teammate Antonelli in São Paolo, another strong weekend and P2 in the Constructors’ will be in his and Mercedes’ crosshairs.
Peter’s Prediction
Not only has Norris’ form been scintillating in recent weeks, he has also silenced many of his naysayers who dared suggest he could not handle. There is no reason to believe the championship leader won’t deliver once more in Nevada.
