Liberty Media, the newish owners of Formula 1, put the money where their mouth is and established a new Grand Prix for the racing calendar of 2023. And if you thought Monaco was an exciting GP, how about Las Vegas?
In November 2023, Sin City will host the first-ever racing event in Nevada. At over 300kph, Hamilton, Verstappen & Co. will cover 6.12km and 14 turns to complete one lap of this iconic Grand Prix. Along the way, they will pass some of the most well-known Las Vegas locations, such as Caesars Palace, the Bellagio, and the Venetian.
So, let’s look at the key facts around the third GP on American soil and what to expect this November.
Track facts and layout
Las Vegas is buzzing around the year, with the atmosphere peaking on Saturday nights. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the organisers decided to go against the norm of Sunday races and turn Las Vegas into a Saturday night race instead.
With 6.12km, the Las Vegas GP is surprisingly long for a street circuit, only beaten by Spa-Francorchamps in the 2022 race calendar. The track will feature 14 corners, 3 straights, and 2 DRS zones to give the drivers plenty of opportunities to overtake. At estimated top speeds of 342kph, the drivers will have enough ground speed to challenge each other on the breaking at the end of each straight.
As the cars will race down one end of the strip, you should try to reserve a room at the Bellagio or the Caesars Palace for the best views. However, hotels like the Wynn are also situated around the track.
Gambling during the Las Vegas Grand Prix
If you’re not in town for Formula 1, you might wonder if you will be able to gamble like at any regular weekend. The answer to that is yes and no.
Good news first, casinos won’t shut down during the GP. On the contrary, it’s expected to be one of the busiest weekends in Las Vegas this year, which is where the bad news kick in.
Most of the hotels on and around the strip will be fully booked far in advance, and room prices are expected to skyrocket that weekend. Unfortunately, at the time of writing, the booking calendar for most hotels isn’t even open yet, which means you need a lot of luck, patience, or connections to find somewhere to sleep.
If Formula 1 is not your sport and you don’t like noise best stay away that weekend
Secondly, and purely speaking from experience at the Monaco GP, Las Vegas will turn into a high-security zone. Getting around will be much more difficult, and many areas might be either blocked entirely or only open to F1 ticket holders.
If you want to come to Las Vegas for gambling and have no interest in Formula 1 whatsoever, it might be best to pick another weekend. If you’ve got itchy hands, you can play slots and casino games online (find a selection at Sister-Sites) and hit the real machines and tables once the F1 craze is over.
However, it’s worth noting that the last November weekend in 2023 will be truly special, even for Las Vegas. So, if you don’t mind spending a bit more than usual and can handle the extra layer of security in and around town, get your daily dose of adrenaline in the casinos and on the race track.