2024 F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix preview: Racing down the Strip

• The Las Vegas Grand Prix is round 22 of the 2024 F1 season
• The race runs on a Tilke-designed street circuit known as the Las Vegas Strip Circuit
• The race is scheduled for Saturday night instead of F1’s usual Sunday setting

The 2024 Formula 1 World Championship heads to Las Vegas this weekend for what will be the third to last race of the season.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix was held for the first time last year, though there have been prior F1 races in Sin City. The current format uses the Las Vegas streets to form the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, which was designed by Tilke, the design company of racetrack designer Hermann Tilke and his son, Carsten.

The Las Vegas Strip Circuit features a 17-corner, 3.85-mile long track, which is second only to Spa-Francorchamps in length. The circuit captures several of the city’s most famous landmarks in its backdrop, including the Sphere, and actually runs down the famous Strip. Since the race is held at night, many of the city’s neon lights can also be seen.

The circuit’s layout consists of a short run from the start line to the first corner, a tight left-hander followed by a series of more flowing corners that lead into the first of two DRS zones. The second sector sees drivers accelerating out of Turn 9, going into a sharp left that leads onto the second straight as the cars fly down the Strip, where the second DRS zone is found. After that comes a narrow chicane at Turns 14, 15, and 16 that leads back to the main straight.

As has become the norm for street circuits, Pirelli has selected its three softest compounds for the race, C3, C4, and C5. The main challenge on the tire front will be maintaining temperatures in the cool conditions, especially during qualifying. The temperatures on the track are expected to get down to around 50 degrees during the race.

The schedule for the weekend is slightly different than a typical F1 weekend as both qualifying and the race take place on Saturday, instead of the race being run on Sunday as usual.

Following the first practice session on Thursday, Mercedes-Benz AMG drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell delivered surprising pace. McLaren’s Lando Norris was also at the top of the time sheets, while reigning champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing got bogged down.

Going into the weekend, Verstappen leads the 2024 Drivers’ Championship with 393 points. Norris is second with 331 points and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is third with 307 points. In the Constructors’ Championship, McLaren leads with 593 points. Ferrari is second with 557 points, while Red Bull is third with 544 points. Last year’s winner in Las Vegas was Verstappen, driving for Red Bull.