As the Formula 1 season approaches its thrilling finale, it’s time for the final tripleheader sequence to kick off with the highly anticipated Las Vegas Grand Prix night race. With the weekend’s action packed into a fast paced schedule, here's your all in one guide to what’s happening in the desert this weekend, along with the key statistics, driving tips, and fan predictions that set the stage for the race.
Weekend Schedule at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit
The action begins on Thursday, November 21, with FP1 and FP2 under the lights at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, before moving to final practice and qualifying on Friday, November 22. The grand spectacle culminates with the 50lap Grand Prix on Saturday, November 23.
Key Facts and Figures About the Las Vegas Grand Prix
First Grand Prix: 2023
Track Length: 6.201km
Lap Record: 1m 35.490s by Oscar Piastri (McLaren) in 2023
Most Pole Positions: Charles Leclerc (1)
Most Wins: Max Verstappen (1)
Trivia: F1 previously held two races in Las Vegas during the early 1980s under the moniker Caesars Palace Grand Prix.
About Track
Pole Run to Turn 1 Braking Point: 150 meters
Safety Car Probability: 100%
Virtual Safety Car Probability: 100%
Pit Stop Time Loss: 20.5 seconds (including 2.5s stop)
The Track: Challenges and Key Corners
Jolyon Palmer, former Renault F1 driver, gives insight into the complexities of the Las Vegas track. Known for its long straights and slower corners, the Las Vegas circuit demands a delicate balance of downforce and tyre management.
Palmer's Pointers:
"The long straights will require the teams to reduce downforce, making the cars feel skittish, especially with the cooler temperatures in the desert. Keeping tyres warm will also be a challenge throughout the race."
Turn 67: One of the trickiest braking zones on the circuit. As drivers accelerate through a long lefthander, they must immediately brake for Turn 7, making it easy to lock the inside front tire.
Turn 12: This corner is pivotal as it connects two long straights. The challenge here is maintaining the right balance between braking and preparing for the crucial corner exit, where mistakes can prove costly.
Palmer's Take on the Track:
"Good braking ability and traction will be critical here, especially coming out of the corners onto the long straights. These exits are where the race will be won or lost."
Previous Winners and PoleSitters
2023 Polesitter: Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
2023 Winner: Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
A Glimpse at the 2023 Constructor Standings
2023 Constructor Standings:
1. Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT
(Points: 1st)
With the Las Vegas Grand Prix being a highly technical night race, all eyes will be on Verstappen and Red Bull to see if they can continue their dominance in the final stretch of the season.
Las Vegas Grand Prix can possibly give us the Title moment for F1 2024 as Max Verstappen is all set to win the Championship if he finishes ahead of Lando Norris.
Grid for las Vegas 2024
Here’s the revised grid following the penalties:
1. George Russell - 1:32.312
2. Carlos Sainz (+0.098)
3. Pierre Gasly (+0.352)
4. Charles Leclerc (+0.471)
5. Max Verstappen (+0.485)
6. Lando Norris (+0.696)
7. Yuki Tsunoda (+0.717)
8. Oscar Piastri (+0.721)
9. Nico Hulkenberg (+0.750)
10. Lewis Hamilton (+15.794)
11. Esteban Ocon - 1:33.221
12. Kevin Magnussen - 1:33.297
13. Zhou Guanyu - 1:33.566
14. Franco Colapinto - 1:33.749
15. Liam Lawson - 1:34.257
16. Sergio Perez - 1:34.155
17. Fernando Alonso - 1:34.258
18. Alex Albon - 1:34.425
19. Lance Stroll - 1:34.484
20. Valtteri Bottas - 1:34.430 (5-place ES penalty)
