It seemed strange that in the rise of the street circuits across Formula 1, Las Vegas, the home of entertainment, hadn’t been chosen to host a race. Ever since the city last hosted a race in 1980, Vegas had long been after F1, and after much negotiation, the city’s long wait to welcome F1 racing royalty was finally put right and in 2023, Sin City opened its doors to the F1 world.
Raced on Vegas’s famous strip, the optics looked superb and tens of thousands who were in attendance were able to experience a Formula 1 race, the likes of which had never seen before.
It seemed to also be a hit with the drivers with legendary F1 driver l, Fernando Alonso saying ‘this is a really interesting circuit with a lot of very different corners and long straights.’
As is often the way with firsts, there were several things that the organizers will look to improve when F1 in Vegas returns.
Kate Richardson is our resident F1 guest expert and here she takes a look at what features need to be addressed in order for F1 Las Vegas to really ignite.
Avoid Track Issues that Were Prevalent in 2023 Race
With so much excitement ahead of the 2023 race, race organisers would have hoped that any Las Vegas Grand Prix news would have been positive, but after just nine minutes of the first practice session, chaos had already ensued.
When taking to the Vegas streets for the first time, Carlos Sainz and his Ferrari hit a loose manhole cover, inflicting over a million dollars worth of damage to his car.
As one Reddit user says: “F1 has a responsibility to provide their employees with safe racing facilities. They failed to do it (again), and now blame the teams for racing somewhere they don’t want to be.”
Suspending the first practice session altogether whilst stewards scoured the length and breadth of the track to see if similar issues lied elsewhere, the cancelling of the first practice session looked sloppy and unprofessional.
The 2023 race got off to a bad start for both the teams and thousands of fans in attendance, there will be high hopes that this problem won’t exist this time around and all of the due diligence around the track will be done to an extremely high level.
F1 in America Still Has a Long Way to Go
The last few years has seen a way in how our favourite sports have been consumed. Leading documentaries have been able to pull back the curtain and now for the very first time, we can see what life behind the scenes is really like.
Formula 1’s ‘Drive to Survive’ documentary series has been incredibly popular. Opening the world of F1 up to millions of fans all over the world, the documentary has been credited with opening up the sport to the younger generation and it is often positioned as the benchmark for all other sports documentaries to follow.
For years F1 executives have been trying to grow the sport in America. With established sports such as the NFL, College Football, the NBA, MLB and NHL ruling the roost, making inroads is certainly no easy feat. Combine that with the popularity of NASCAR and Indy Car racing and F1 still has some way to go before it can be considered a part of the American sporting family.
With so much build up and anticipation for the first Vegas race last year, ticket sales didn’t quite match the hype. With attendances low across the racing weekend, F1 needs to do a better job at getting more people to attend.
Like most things in Vegas, ticket prices can be expensive and it seemed that the high prices turned people away. With a host of things to do in Sin City it’s not as if people are short of other options.
If F1 wants to be the city’s main attraction, they need more of a crowd willing to watch and create an atmosphere that tracks all over the world have been able to generate.
When is F1 Las Vegas 2024?
This year’s Formula 1 race will take place on the 24th November and during the build up to the race you can expect plenty of Formula 1 Las Vegas updates.
There is no doubt that the glitz and glamour of Formula 1 ties perfectly with the ethos of Vegas. However more needs to be done to make it feel like a genuine racetrack and not just another tourist attraction. Last year’s winner, Max Verstappen complained after the race that the Vegas stop felt like ‘99% show and 1% sport’ and if F1 wants the Vegas Grand Prix to become one of its significant races, much more emphasis will need to be put on the racing side of things. This year there will be high hopes that all of the F1 news coming out of Vegas is positive.
Who can win the F1 Las Vegas race?
Despite many believing this season would turn into a one man show with Max Verstappen and Ferrari dominating all before them, thankfully for F1 fans all over the world, the season is shaping up for a grand finale.
Both McLaren and Mercedes are enjoying a resurgence and the trio of Lando Norris, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton have all managed to win races and show Red Bull that they are up for the fight. Many bookmakers believe that combined with the fact that Ferrari look capable on some tracks, this year’s Vegas Grand Prix could turn into an epic battle.
The great thing if you need sports betting tips, the MightyTips brand is ready to provide you with the most useful and comprehensive information on the companies and drivers to back at the upcoming races.
Vegas used dramatic wins and thrilling encores, unlike last year, Vegas race organisers will hope that both feature heavily this time around.
