It’s the second year in a row of the city of Las Vegas hosting a round of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship. Between November 21st and November 23rd, the Las Vegas Strip and surrounding area will transform into a 3.8 mile race track. Grand stands are being installed on the side of the roads, hotels are filling up, and the city is welcoming racing fans from all over in preparation for the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Motorsports: NASCAR vs Formula 1
While many Americans are familiar with motorsports such as NASCAR, Formula 1 is a global phenomenon. We host a handful of Formula 1 races here stateside, while NASCAR is exclusive to North America. Formula 1 circuits are all considered road circuits—some are designated tracks and some also incorporate the hosting city’s roads into the circuit. NASCAR tracks are mainly oval-shaped, designated race tracks, though there are a few road courses as well. But there’s a lot more than location that separates these sports.
The most notable difference is the type of vehicle used. NASCAR uses stock cars (well, the name is a giveaway there—National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) that can more-or-less be mistaken for the vehicles we see everyday on the road. Formula 1 uses single seater cars that are more akin to the those seen in another branch of American motorsports—INDYCAR.
The seasons and number of teams are different, too. NASCAR has more races, with 2024 featuring a 36-race schedule, with just as many chartered teams in the Cup Series. Formula 1’s season will see 24 races on the 2024 schedule, but only has 10 teams.
The question that everyone wants to know is “which is faster?” The answer isn’t as straightforward as you might hope. The type of course the cars are on is a big factor in how fast they can go. Last year, a Formula 1 driver was clocked at just over 218 mph at the Mexican Grand Prix, whereas the fastest time in NASCAR in 2023 was 190 mph at the Michigan International Speedway (which is in Brooklyn, not the Great Lake State). The top speeds are very similar, but not many tracks allow drivers to reach those top speeds. However, when it comes to acceleration, Formula 1 vehicles are faster.
What to Expect at the Las Vegas Grand Prix in 2024
Many of Vegas’ streets are being prepped for this Formula 1 race, with a large portion of The Strip dedicated to two of the race’s main straights. The overall circuit is 3.85 miles long with 17 turns or corners. The drivers must complete 50 laps for a total race distance of nearly 193 miles.
Since last year’s race was the inaugural, that’s when all the records for this race were set. Last year’s top speed was 217.8 mph, set by Charles Leclerc of the Scuderia Ferrari Team. The lap record (1:35.490) and most overtakes (181) were both set by Oscar Piastri of McLaren F1 Team. The Las Vegas Grand Prix was won by Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen with a time of 1:29:08.289.
Each lap of the circuit will begin at the newly constructed Grand Prix Plaza, just off the Strip and near Topgolf. This 39-acre facility is set to be home base for all things Grand Prix, with shops, dining and interactive exhibits and experiences all year round. It also is home to the a state-of-the-art pit facility that will keep the racers and their vehicles in top shape before, during and after the race. before making a hairpin turn to Koval Lane. There’s a 90° turn near the Caesars Forum that connects to Westchester Drive before winding around the new MSG Sphere. After that, it connects with Sands Avenue before turning onto The Strip near the Fashion Show Mall. The circuit then follows The Strip to the area around Aria, before hooking through a series of corners towards Harmon Avenue and back towards Grand Prix Plaza.
The circuit length is 3.853 miles (6.201 km), with 1.181 miles (1.900 km) of it running down The Strip. The race will take 50 laps, putting the total mileage at 192.656 miles (310.050 km).
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The History
Last year wasn’t the first time Vegas hosted part of the Grand Prix… but it has been awhile. The last time was the 1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix, a 2.268 mile (3.650 km) circuit that was situated in the scenic Caesars Palace parking lot. (Wait, seriously?) Yep, the course zigzagged through a series of turns in the parking lot, which, while not exactly extravagant, was meant to attract crowds to Vegas’ still-growing Strip.
The 1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix also marked the first time a country hosted three rounds in the same season. (Italy would later host three races in the same season in 2020.)
The winner of the 1982 Grand Prix was Italian driver Michele Alboreto, with British driver John Watson in second place and American driver Eddie Cheever in third.
The Events
There are a lot of drivers looking to participate in this second annual Las Vegas race. There will be three practices spread across November 21st and 22nd. Practice 1 will last from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m on November 21st. Practice 2 will be later that night, from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. on November 21st. Practice 3 will be from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, November 22nd.
The qualifying session will be from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, November 22nd. The Grand Prix will finally kick off at 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 23rd.
If you’re looking at watching the events, you’ll have a few options. If you’re hoping to see the events live and in-person, you can buy tickets on the Formula One website. If you’re staying at home—or visiting any of Vegas’ numerous sports bars—the race will be broadcast on ESPN and F1 TV Pro. Otherwise, you can try to find a good vantage point from Vegas’ Strip-facing hotel rooms, or really any other point that offers views of The Strip.
Check the Formula One website for more information on events and event times. Oh, and if you go to the events, write in and let us know what you think!
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