John N
Have you heard of the new Las Vegas Grand Prix? It’s a 14-turn track that will run for 3.8 miles (6.12km) with top speeds expected to hit around 212mph (342km/h). The design features three straights, a high-speed cornering sequence, and a single chicane section, with the Grand Prix to be run over 50 laps, and is a way to increase tourism and bring more business to Vegas. But what kind of numbers are we talking about here when it comes to the new Las Vegas Grand Prix?
Read on for more:
6.12
Creating a street circuit is an exciting challenge for any designer – and Las Vegas was no different. Countless hours were spent assessing the topography both in person and on Google Earth. That yielded 31 different layout variations before a 6.12km version was agreed upon. That makes this venue the second-longest street track on the F1 calendar, behind the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, and the third-longest overall (Belgium’s Spa Francorchamps leads the way on 7.004km, in case you were wondering).
14
Weaving its way through Las Vegas’s existing infrastructure, F1’s newest street circuit features 14 corners. Only Austria’s Red Bull Ring and Italy’s Monza have fewer turns, while Zandvoort, the Hungaroring, and Montreal all have the same. Nine turns go left, the other five go right. There are three healthy straights, a high-speed cornering sequence, and a single chicane section.
342
With so many straights – and only a few slow corners – this track is going to be a fast one. Cars will hit top speeds of around 342km/h (212 mph) according to simulations. And our data suggests average speeds will be similar to those found at Monza – aka the Temple of Speed – which means teams will bring their low-downforce aerodynamic packages, complete with shallow rear wing, similar to what they take to Monza and Spa.
2
One of those straights will be around 2km and runs over one of the most famous pieces of road in the world – the Las Vegas Strip. Drivers will experience an assault on their senses as they blast past iconic hotels including the Venetian, the Bellagio and Caesars Palace – whose old car park was home to the previous two runnings of the Las Vegas Grand Prix in 1981 and 1982.
50
The race will uniquely take place on Saturday, is set to run for 50 laps on a track where the entire layout will be resurfaced to iron out the bumps.
3
Next year there will be not just one, not just two, but three Grands Prix in the United States, as Las Vegas joins Miami – which makes its F1 debut in May 2022 – and Austin, which joined the calendar in 2012.
90
As they approach the Cosmopolitan Hotel, drivers will hit the brakes and get their machines slowed down inside a 90m braking zone, before tackling the Turn 11 left-hander. This is one of the best places to overtake, with countless viewing spots from hotel balconies, bar windows, and restaurant terraces available to catch a glimpse of the action.
VEGASSSS BABY! 🤩 We're heading back down the Strip in 2023 🇺🇸 #LasVegasGP pic.twitter.com/IhlbyzcdD5
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 31, 2022
