“Formula 1 cannot be static,” F1 boss Stefano Domenicali on the ‘perfect time’ for Las Vegas GP

“Formula 1 cannot be static,” F1 boss Stefano Domenicali on the ‘perfect time’ for Las Vegas GP

F1

Formula One confirmed on Wednesday night that Las Vegas will be hosting a night race from 2023 onwards. The streets of Sin City will host the Las Vegas GP and will very soon we shall see F1 cars battling it done the iconic Las Vegas Strip! This means the United States shall be hosting 3 Grand Prix from 2023 with Las Vegas joining COTA in Austin and Miami which will host its inaugural race in 2022.

The last time F1 cars raced in Las Vegas was in 1984. Between 1980 and 1984, the Cesar’s Palace casino hosted a Formula One Grand Prix in the parking lot of the casino. The new race will uniquely take place on Saturday, is set to run for 50 laps on the 6.12 KM street track.

This means for the first time Formula One fans across the world shall be treated to a race on Saturday. And F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali believes this is the “perfect time and perfect slot for this event”. And it

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Why racing on Saturday at Las Vegas GP makes sense!

Las Vegas Street Circuit
Las Vegas Street Circuit

Formula One has always followed the 3-day weekend race format where the first two days are reserved for Practice, qualifying and the main race event on Sunday. This was made to suit its European fanbase which until recent years was the sport’s biggest market. But with F1 growing internationally and expanding in new countries, it only made sense to host the main race of Las Vegas GP at the preferred time of Saturday at 10 PM.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said, “Formula 1 cannot be static. To have a race on Saturday at 3 pm, would be a total mistake. That is the reason why we are flexible, we are showing that’s the right moment to have the best show in this context. I don’t see any problem with that.”

He added, “And if you think actually in terms of timing in Europe, the race time we have on Saturday is 10 pm, Saturday night is perfect because also that audience will be connected. By the way, we could have done it even earlier or later, everyone would have been connected that night with Las Vegas, no doubt.”

The race will take place on a Saturday night, making it the first Saturday Grand Prix since South Africa in 1985 and breaking with the traditional Sunday format. The 10 PM Saturday slot is kept to target F1’s growing US fanbase who are now the majority of the sports viewers.

Also Read: F1 makes “mega” announcement of racing in Las Vegas in 2023