BREAKING | Formula 1 confirm trip to Las Vegas for third American GP

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31 March 2022 at 03:30
Last update 31 March 2022 at 03:45
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  • Matt Gretton
  • Editor-in-Chief

Formula 1 have confirmed a Las Vegas Grand Prix will take place from the 2023 season onwards. This event will be the first American night race and will take place on Saturday night rather than the traditional Sunday. The track will use some of the most iconic tourist attractions and landmarks in the world, including the Las Vegas strip. 

The track design is 3.8 miles (6.12km) long from start to finish with top speeds estimated to be over 212 mph (342 km/h). There will be 50 race laps with three main straights and 14 corners, including a high-speed cornering sequence and a single chicane section.

Following Liberty Media's takeover of Formula 1, this is a further sign of the growth. With the help of a Netflix documentary and better use of Social Media, Formula 1 has been able to attract new fans in America and now they are rewarded with a third race spread across one of the biggest countries in the world. Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali acknowledged this point in his first reaction. 

“This is an incredible moment for Formula 1 that demonstrates the huge appeal and growth of our sport with a third race in the US. Las Vegas is a destination known around the world for its excitement, hospitality, thrills, and of course, the famous Strip. There is no better place for Formula 1 to race than in the global entertainment capital of the world and we cannot wait to be here next year," Domenicali said in the official press release. 

Steve Hill, the President and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority shares the excitement of Formula 1 arriving on his patch. “We eagerly anticipate the moment when the history, energy and momentum of Formula 1 will culminate in an unforgettable Saturday night on the Las Vegas Strip. We look forward to November 2023 when we once again showcase that Las Vegas is ‘The Greatest Arena on Earth."

Third Grand Prix in America

Formula One first raced a Grand Prix in America in 1959, then at the Sebring circuit in Florida. In the following years there were always periods with and without an American Grand Prix on different circuits. Since 2012, the American Grand Prix has taken place in Austin (with the exception of 2020) and this season the Miami Grand Prix will be added to the schedule for the first time.

However, it does not stop at two races in the United States. For some time there has been talk of a third race through the streets of Las Vegas. On Tuesday it was announced that the Las Vegas Grand Prix will probably not be held on Sunday, but on Saturday, November 25, 2023. It is expected that the time of announcement tonight refers to the start time of the race. In America, the race will then be shown on Saturday night. 

The last Las Vegas Grand Prix took place in September 1982, won by Michele Alboreto in his Tyrrell after Alain Prost set pole position on the Saturday. Alan Jones won the only other Las Vegas Grand Prix one year earlier.