The 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix on a pop-up city track that runs through the fabled Casino-lined Strip will provide a multitude of unknowns for Formula 1 drivers and their teams to contend with this weekend, a prospect that Alfa Romeo drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu are relishing.
Temperatures akin to testing in Europe, in February, will be part of the package as all sessions take place at night when the desert temperatures plummet and could play havoc during the course of the weekend. The unknowns are plentiful.
What will the grip be like? The walls? Who will bin it first? All factors that will come into play on a weekend could spring a surprise as the unknowns are discovered and drivers turn downtown Sin City into an autodrome.
No surprise, drivers are treating the third edition of a Grand Prix in Las Vegas with trepidation and respect. This is what some have to say as they jet into town.
Alfa Romeo veteran Valtteri Bottas is relishing the prospect: "I am looking forward to racing in Las Vegas this weekend: it is always exciting when a new venue hosts a Grand Prix, and we have seen over the years how good they are at putting up a show in the States."
Valtteri: This is a new track, and there are still some variables to discover
"It will be crucial to gather as much data as possible from the practice sessions, to be competitive for qualifying and place ourselves in favourable spots on the grid. From there, if we do our job well, we can challenge our closest competitors to finish in the top ten," added Bottas in Alfa's preview of Round 21 of the 2023 F1 World Championship.
Zhou Guanyu said of his trip to Las Vegas: "It's my first time here, and I can’t wait to get on track in person – as so far, we have only practised on the sim. A night race in the desert, with lower temperatures, will make for an interesting mix, and it will be important to get things right from the start.
"We are motivated to do well here and in Abu Dhabi, and get back to the points: we owe this to our team, for all the work done throughout the season, as well as to our fans for their endless support. Vegas is known for its vast entertainment offering, so hopefully we’ll be able to put up a good show for all of them," added Zhou.
Alfa Romeo will run a special Las Vegas livery which the team will unveil on Wednesday to mark the occasion. The Swiss-based team will present the new-look C43 in the Aria Hotel lobby.
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