Formula 1 will be heading to Las Vegas next year after announcing plans for a new grand prix to join the calendar on Wednesday night.
Las Vegas is the latest addition to the ever-growing F1 calendar, and becomes the third grand prix to take place in the United States as of next year.
It is an exciting announcement for F1, but when will the Las Vegas Grand Prix take place, and what will the track look like?
Here is all of the information you need about the newest race in F1.
When is the Las Vegas Grand Prix taking place?
The inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix will be taking place in November 2023. Although no precise details have yet been announced about the exact date, the race is likely to feature as part of the late-season swing through the Americas.
At the moment, races take place in the United States, Mexico and Brazil in October and November before F1 returns to the Middle East for the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
It is likely that Las Vegas features as part of the run of races in the Americas, although it is unclear what exact date slot it will take.
“There are some loose ends to get tied up contractually,” said Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei, “and once we have those done, we’ll announce the actual date.”
Has Formula 1 ever raced in Las Vegas before?
Formula 1 raced in Las Vegas twice in the early 1980s - but it proved to be a short-lived event.
The race took place around a temporary circuit that was constructed in the car park of the Caesars Palace casino. It was called the Caesars Palace Grand Prix as a result.
But the track had a very repetitive, flat and uninspiring layout, making it unpopular among both drivers and fans alike.
Las Vegas was the title decider in both 1981 and 1982. In 1981, Nelson Piquet secured his maiden F1 title by finishing fifth, overturning Carlos Reutemann’s one point lead. The Brazilian struggled with back pain throughout the race around the anti-clockwise circuit, which took a toll on his neck, and vomited midway through the race as he struggled in the Nevada heat.
The 1982 race saw Keke Rosberg clinch his one and only title for Williams at the end of a difficult year for F1 marred by the death of Gilles Villeneuve. There was little appetite for F1 to return to Las Vegas, prompting the Caesars Palace track to be adjusted for CART, which also lasted just two years before walking away.
Why is F1 racing in Las Vegas?
F1 has been interested in returning to Las Vegas for a number of years, always with the goal of staging a race that incorporated the iconic Strip.
The recent boom in interest from the United States helped accelerate talks between F1 and the relevant authorities in Las Vegas. Last year’s United States Grand Prix in Austin attracted 400,000 fans over three days, according to F1, while the inaugural Miami Grand Prix will take place in May.
Las Vegas also ticks all of the boxes for F1 when it comes to a host city for a race. Upon taking over F1 in 2017, Liberty Media said it wanted “destination cities” for new grands prix that would help bring greater visibility to F1 and take it to some of the most glamorous venues in the world.
Las Vegas has a strong sporting culture, regularly hosting major boxing and UFC bouts, as well as being the home to the Las Vegas Raiders NFL team. F1 will be eager to contribute to this moving forward as it incorporates the iconic landmarks and neon signs of Las Vegas for a global spectacle.
Why is the race taking place on a Saturday night?
The inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix will take place on a Saturday night in November 2023, making it the first time in 38 years that a grand prix has been staged on a Saturday. The 1985 South African Grand Prix was the last race to be held on a Saturday. Since then, the main race has always taken place on a Sunday.
But by running the Las Vegas Grand Prix on a Saturday, making it a night race will mean it is not only in a prime-time slot for the American audience, but it will also be in the early hours of the Sunday morning for Europe, making it appealing for people to stay up late to watch. The race is due to start at 10pm local time in Las Vegas.
What will the track look like?
The announcement included the first details about the track and an initial layout, which sees a sizeable amount of the Strip get incorporated.
The track will be 3.8 miles (6.12km) long and feature 14 corners, as well as three long straights that should see the cars reach speeds of over 210 mph.
It will make the Las Vegas track one of the longest in F1, trailing only Spa and Jeddah, and means the race will take place across 50 laps.
Why does F1 have three races in the US now?
F1’s expansion in the United States has been rapid. In 2011, there was not a single grand prix in the USA, yet interest has surged to the extent that three races are now on the calendar with Miami, Austin and Las Vegas.
While three races in the same country may seem counterproductive as F1 bids for new markets and locations, the events are vastly spread out. All three races will run on different timezones (Miami on ET, Austin on CT, Las Vegas on PT) and have different characteristics. They will also be spread on the calendar, with Miami taking place in May this year and Austin in October.
Miami has a 10-year contract in place, while Austin’s new deal was signed in February and runs for another five years, meaning F1 will retain a significant foothold in the USA for many years to come.
What will the Las Vegas F1 race be called?
Unlike the previous Las Vegas race, the name for this will be far more straightforward. It will be known as the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The race will the fourth event on the calendar after Miami, Sao Paulo and Mexico City to be named after a city instead of the country or region in which it is being held.
