Long live Vegas! sang Elvis half a century ago. Today that refrain is on the lips of all insiders in the paddock, including riders who can't wait to have some fun in Las Vegas..but on the track! Formula 1 has in fact announced the return of the top category to Las Vegas, which had already landed in the "Sin City" in 1981 and 1982, however, with little success. However, Liberty Media has bet on starting from a completely different perspective than in the past: creating entertainment. And when does Las Vegas come to life? at night of course.
F1 and Liberty Media have confirmed they have reached an agreement with city officials and promoters, greenlighting the event from November 2023.
It will be a great event, and exceptionally it will be run on Saturday night! a real rarity for Formula 1 which thus triples the seasonal appointment in the United States. The Las Vegas Grand Prix from 2023 will join the already confirmed stops in Austin and Miami which will debut this season. We will see the single-seaters whizzing under the lights along the famous Las Vegas Strip, in a 6.12 km route amidst the lights, glitz and glam of the most famous casinos and hotels in the city, including Caesars Palace.
This is the layout of the track which, in terms of length, would be placed behind Jeddah, despite having half the corners that the Saudi Arabian circuit offers. The project, although not yet revealed in detail, features three straights, 14 corners in a high-speed sequence and a single chicane section, with a race distance covered in 50 laps.
The news was announced at an event in Las Vegas on Wednesday evening, attended by Liberty Media president and CEO Greg Maffei and F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali.
“Iconic Las Vegas and Formula 1, the pinnacle of motorsport, is the perfect marriage of speed and glamour”, Maffei said. “Our confidence in this unique opportunity is evident in our decision to take on the role of promoter of the Las Vegas Grand Prix in partnership with Live Nation.
“We couldn't be more excited to be working with our local partners to create a major event. The potential of Formula 1 has been well demonstrated in recent seasons and the Las Vegas GP will only take it to the next level."
Even Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, underlined the great enthusiasm regarding the announcement of the Las Vegas GP “This is an incredible moment for F1 as we demonstrate the huge appeal and growth of our sport with a third race in the USA,” Domenicali said. “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 to race Formula 1 than in the entertainment capital of the world and we can't wait to be here next year."
