George Russell thinks the “spectacular” $2.3 Billion Las Vegas sphere too vast to distract drivers

George Russell claims the Las Vegas sphere isn't going to affect drivers' race.

George Russell thinks the “spectacular” $2.3 Billion Las Vegas sphere too vast to distract drivers

George Russell talks about the Las Vegas sphere. (Images via Sky Sports & IMAGO)

The Las Vegas GP is going to go live in just a couple of days and promises to provide fans with fabulous spectacles the whole weekend. The 6.2-kilometre circuit spans many iconic landmarks of the Sin City. These include Caesar’s Palace, Bellagio, and the new Las Vegas Sphere.

The Sphere is the world’s largest LED screen and is a promotional structure that will be active during the Grand Prix. Many worries arose as some were concerned that the moving lights of the sphere would distract the drivers. George Russell disagrees, saying that the vastness of the sphere is too much to distract from the peripheral view of a driver.

 I think with the the vastness of that, if I saw a big red ball on there I don’t think I’d be backing off thinking it was a red flag.
George Russell said, as reported by racefans.net
YouTube video

Just in case, Formula One has banned three colors from being displayed on the sphere. Red, yellow, and blue colors are forbidden, partly due to their bright nature. Another factor in their ban is the three commonly used flags in F1 are yellow, blue, and red, and those colors on the sphere could confuse some of the athletes.

FS Video

George Russell confident of Las Vegas GP after Sao Paulo disappointment

Mercedes had a terrible race in the Sao Paulo GP, as the W14 on both cars suffered. Lewis Hamilton dropped back continually while George Russell eventually retired from the race. The poor performance caused a huge downturn in confidence with Mercedes fans, but George Russell has good news for them.

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell (via IMAGO)

The issues with the car in Brazil were widely speculated to be related to the set-up. The set-up essentially dictates the weekend’s performance, and Mercedes may not have gotten it right due to it being a sprint weekend. Russell said Mercedes has identified the problem and more importantly, rectified it. The Briton said the Brackley-based team will not be caught in the same problems once more.

We were kind of trapped within our mistake, so that was a gruelling weekend. It shows how sensitive everything is, but we’re confident we’re not going to fall into that same trap, especially this weekend.
George Russell said, from formula1.com

The Las Vegas GP isn’t the best track for Mercedes, however. The lack of straight-line speed as compared to their competitors could see Mercedes struggle to break into podium places. However, the 8x Constructors Champions have surprised with their performance in the past, and may well do so again.

In case you missed it: