F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix Expected to Be the Most-Watched Sporting Event of the Year
The inaugural F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix is coming to the Strip in what will arguably be the biggest event on the F1 calendar. Las Vegas will join Miami and Austin as the third US city to host an F1 race and blend the nightlife, glitz, and glamor of “The Entertainment Capital of the World” with the world’s fastest racing.
Everyone is buzzing with anticipation for the November 16–18 race weekend. The extent of the hype is so immense that we now have people like the Red Bull team principal Christian Horner claiming that the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix will be the biggest sporting event on the globe this year.
F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix Circuit Details
Formula 1 has revealed the track details and layout ahead of the night race that will be taking place in the heart of the city. F1 cars will be blazing past sections of Las Vegas Boulevard in front of some of the most iconic casinos and hotels on the Strip, such as Caesars Palace, Bellagio, and The Venetian.
The length of the circuit is 3.8 miles (6.12 km), featuring 17 corners that drivers will have to navigate in the 50-lap race. This track layout will make the Las Vegas Strip Circuit the third longest on the calendar, behind only the Jeddah Corniche Circuit and Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
When the drivers come out of their grid slots, they’ll head counterclockwise straight into the Turn 1 hairpin before charging into a right-hander. The circuit’s first straight is located along Koval Lane, leading into a 90-degree right-hander at Caesars Forum and a technical section (Turn 6-9) around MSG Sphere.
The drivers will then follow the winding road down Sands Avenue before hitting the Las Vegas Strip — the circuit’s longest straight. They will have to break hard for the sly chicane near Planet Hollywood, so this spot will likely offer the circuit’s best overtaking opportunities. Getting good traction out of the chicane will be critical, as the drivers will want to build as much speed as possible down Harmon Avenue leading into the start/finish straight.
As drivers loop by Vegas’ world famous casinos, there will be countless gamblers wagering both in Sin City and elsewhere. With nearly every online sportsbook offering F1 betting, it’s safe to say this race won’t only be one of the most-watched events of the year, but also one of the most bet on events of 2023.
Las Vegas Brings Razzle–Dazzle to F1
Some racing puritans believe that with new circuits added to the calendar, iconic races such as Monza, Silverstone, and Monaco will potentially lose their spots. However, according to Horner, when you bring in new circuits, you see a rise in commercial demand, which has never been higher, not least due to all the hype surrounding the Las Vegas race.
With new races in the mix, the demand for new competitors is also growing. The grid currently comprises 10 teams, and the Liberty Media Corporation, the owners of the Formula One Group, will have to find a way to protect that exclusivity while at the same time accommodating the FIA’s plan of adding more teams in the future.
Still, with events like the Las Vegas F1 Grand Prix, Formula 1 racing shines in the spotlight and brings much-needed excitement to the sport.
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