After a brief break, Formula 1 is set to kick off once again this weekend.
This is the third Las Vegas Grand Prix, and F1 is returning to the city with plenty of excitement for the 2023 season. This year features a night race that showcases the iconic Vegas Strip. It’s worth remembering that this isn’t F1’s first venture into Nevada; the short-lived Caesars Palace Grand Prix was part of the calendar back in the 1981 and 1982 seasons.
Now, F1 has found a new home in Vegas, where the circuit has delivered thrilling races over the past two years.
Here are four major storylines to watch as we head towards this year’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Drivers’ Championship
The primary focus in F1 this week remains the clash for the top spot in the Drivers’ Championship.
Thanks to consecutive victories in Mexico City and São Paulo, Lando Norris is leading the title race. The McLaren driver currently shares the top spot with his teammate, Oscar Piastri, both boasting 390 points. Max Verstappen, a four-time champion, sits in third with 341 points.
These three are the only racers with any realistic hope of clinching the championship. Meanwhile, George Russell, who had a disappointing finish in São Paulo, is no longer in contention.
I mentioned before that Norris won’t be able to secure the title in Las Vegas. Even with a win in the race and both Piastri and Verstappen finishing out of the points, Piastri will still have at least one more opportunity to race. In theory, Norris could only clinch his first championship during the F1 sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix.
However, Las Vegas hasn’t always favored McLaren. At the close of the 2023 season, Norris faced his first DNF due to a crash early in the race, while Piastri managed to finish in 10th.
Verstappen took home the victory during the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, and last year, while McLaren vied for the constructors’ title, he outperformed both Piastri and Norris. His fifth-place finish secured his fourth consecutive Drivers’ Championship, with Norris and Piastri finishing sixth and seventh, respectively.
It will be interesting to see if Las Vegas allows Verstappen or Piastri a chance to respond to Norris’ recent success.
Battle for P2 in Constructors
While the conflict among Norris, Piastri, and Verstappen grabs most of the spotlight, there’s also a significant contest ongoing for second place in the constructors’ rankings.
Throughout the season, Mercedes and Ferrari have been trading places for second behind McLaren, who has already secured the constructors’ championship following their win in the Singapore Grand Prix. However, with Verstappen showing improvements since the summer break and rejoining the title chase, Red Bull is now in the mix, making it a three-way tussle.
Mercedes had a strong performance in São Paulo, with Kimi Antonelli placing second and Russell finishing fourth, giving Mercedes a total of 398 points and an edge in this competition. Verstappen’s impressive drive from 19th to third, coupled with a tough weekend for Ferrari, put Red Bull in second place with 366 points.
Ferrari now trails with 362 points.
This could be another favorable weekend for Mercedes. Russell claimed victory in last year’s Las Vegas race, with former teammate Lewis Hamilton not far behind in second, as Mercedes dominated qualifying. In recent seasons, their competitors have tended to perform well in cooler conditions (more on the weather later), which might play in favor of Mercedes again.
Meanwhile, Red Bull can rely heavily on Verstappen, who secured victory in the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix last year and finished fifth in the subsequent race, which helped him clinch his fourth title. While Verstappen may lead the pack again this weekend, it’s worth mentioning that he’s carrying a heavy load for the team; a remarkable 341 of Red Bull’s 366 points come from him, which is about 93%.
Only Pierre Gasly has contributed all of Alpine’s 22 points this season, which means he’s carrying a significant amount of the team’s score as well.
For Ferrari fans, if you’ve got the Tifosi in the stands, you won’t want to miss any of the action.
F1 Rookies on the Las Vegas Strip
Four newcomers to F1 – Antonelli, Isaac Hajar, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Oliver Bearman – are gearing up to experience the Las Vegas Strip circuit for the first time.
The track features 17 turns and two DRS zones. The long stretch from Turn 12 to Turn 14, where drivers speed down Las Vegas Boulevard, is expected to see the fastest speeds of the race. In fact, Alexander Albon clocked an impressive 229 mph last year, the highest speed recorded for the entire 2024 season.
That stretch allowed for full throttle, and when he hit 229 last year, it was not only a record for the season but also the fastest since the 2019 season.
All four of these young drivers have showcased promising talent this season and will face a circuit that, while reminiscent of a certain cartoon pig, promises exhilarating speed.
As usual during F1 race weekends, teams, drivers, and fans alike are left wondering about the weather conditions.
This week’s Grand Prix in Las Vegas is no exception. Instead of worrying about rain, though, the focus is on the temperatures.
The inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix raised concerns over cold temperatures and the challenges they posed for tire performance. I had a chat with Valtteri Bottas back then, and he said, “Especially on long straights, the tire surface temperature starts to drop, and by the time it gets back up, it can be really tough to brake.”
I also spoke with McLaren CEO Zac Brown before last year’s event, and he shared his thoughts about how cold affects tire performance.
“It’s really tough to warm up the tires, but Pirelli is prepared for that. It’s a challenge for everyone,” Brown noted. “If it gets into the 30s, then it’s really tricky. But if temps hold in the 40s – which I think is around the average for this time of year – it should be a nice, enjoyable evening.”
As for Pirelli, who supplies the tires, they’ve again opted for a softer selection this weekend. The C3 will serve as the hard tire, C4 as medium, and C5 as soft, with the new C6 supersoft omitted from the lineup.
Currently, the temperature forecast for race weekend hovers between the 40s and 50s, aligning with the range Brown previously mentioned for 2023. Additionally, F1 has adjusted the start time of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, now set for 8 PM local time, which should hopefully lead to warmer conditions.
However, if the weather turns cold, teams will need to be careful about tire performance on the track.
