Roaring Through The Neon: Unveiling the Thrills and Spills of the Inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix
Photo Credit: Formula One via X
Last month, Formula One's most anticipated grand prix was held in the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas. For those unfamiliar, Formula One is the highest international car racing competition, where ten teams and 20 drivers compete in specialized, high-performance cars for the World Drivers' and Constructors' Championships. What was so intriguing about the Las Vegas Grand Prix (LVGP) that had fans excited and Vegas locals infuriated?
Before this year’s Grand Prix, there had only ever been two F1 races in Las Vegas, both in the parking lot of Caesars Palace in 1981 and 1982. The Caesars Palace Grand Prix was not popular among drivers in the early 1980s due to the extreme heat, resulting in its removal from the race season. In 2022, the president of Formula One announced the return of F1 to Las Vegas, with a new street circuit spanning 6.201 km around downtown Las Vegas. Approximately $500 million was invested in constructing the grand prix, with over $1.2 billion expected to be generated in local economic benefits, according to Forbes.
Construction of the Grand Prix broke ground in the first quarter of last year, sparking discourse online. Many locals were quick to voice their opinions on the traffic and the “destruction” of the strip leading up to the weekend. Organizers cut down all the trees lining the strip, and blocked the Fountains of Bellagio with the massive grandstands. Tourists visiting Las Vegas were inconvenienced by the traffic caused by all the construction and the scaffolding obstructing the views of the city.
Besides the locals, countless fans made no secret of their dislike for the late start times. Even though the start times were set to accommodate its mainly European viewership, they inconvenienced individuals watching on TV on the east coast of the continent.
Not even ten minutes into the first practice session on Thursday night, chaos ensued after Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon had complications involving a water valve cover which dislodged and damaged their cars, ending the practice early. Both drivers had the damages to their cars repaired; however, Sainz was given a grid penalty of ten places for Saturday's race for exceeding the power unit component allocation. The drivers fortunate enough to make the top three by the end of the race were Kevin Magnussen in P3, Nico Hülkenberg in P2, and Charles Leclerc in P1.
After a two and a half-hour delay to cover all drain covers on the track, free practice two was underway at 2:30 AM Friday morning. Drivers were finally able to familiarize themselves with the track and work on tyre management for one of the coldest races in Formula One history. Friday morning's practice was quiet, with the grandstands empty for safety reasons with public traffic and the late hour. Individuals who came to watch FP2 were kicked out and given a $200 voucher for the merch stall if they were lucky. FP2 ended with Charles Leclerc in P1, Carlos Sainz in P2, and Fernando Alonso in P3.
Friday night brought FP3 and a much more interesting experience, with fans finally being allowed back into the stands. The event had a festive atmosphere, with celebrities like Paris Hilton and Ryan Reynolds being spotted out and about. Unfortunately, FP3 came to an end a few minutes early, when Williams driver Alex Albon collided with the barriers, losing a tyre and bringing out the red flag.
George Russell and his Mercedes came in P1 with a time of 1m 34.093s after a difficult season for Mercedes. McLaren rookie Oscar Piastri came in P2 almost four-tenths of a second behind Russell, McLaren was expected to struggle in Vegas with the environment of Vegas being unsuitable for their cars. American Williams rookie Logan Sargeant finished in P3, despite usually finishing in the bottom ten.