The Las Vegas Grand Prix has been a spectacular addition to the calendar, combining glitz, glamour and great racing, living up to the city's reputation as the entertainment capital of the world. 

We’re expecting a similarly thrilling weekend this time out, especially on the back of two race-free weekends. Following a short period of well-earned and much-needed rest, we spent the brief break working hard on the simulator and diving into the data, ensuring we’re as prepared as we possibly can be going into this critical season-ending triple header.

We also caught up with Lando, Oscar and Andrea Stella, getting their thoughts ahead of the weekend. We’ve included them below, along with a guide to the circuit, an F1 icebreaker and some suggestions of what to wear.

“Las Vegas! It was good to be back at MTC with the team ahead of the last three races of the year. I spent time preparing in the sim with my engineers. Everyone’s motivated and ready to give it our all in the fight for both Championships. 

“We’ll be under the lights in Las Vegas. Driving along the Strip is really cool, and I’m looking forward to racing there with the MCL38. We’ve had a good car this year and the field is incredibly strong, so I can’t wait to see what we can do at the weekend.”

“I’m looking forward to heading out to Las Vegas and starting an important triple header. We're working hard to maintain our lead in the Constructors’ Championship and finish the season strongly. 

“The aim is to push all the way for more wins and podiums before the season is out. There's a lot of hard work and determination within the team and I'm extremely motivated to secure more success in this last part of the season.” 

“After a busy triple header in the Americas we now head to Las Vegas. This is the first race of the final triple header of the season and one of the most challenging from a schedule perspective. As expected, the field remains incredibly competitive, but we have a strong car and a strong team who have worked hard all season to put us in a great position.  

“It’s been an incredibly busy season for everyone, and this is now the final push to get the job done. We’re keeping focused as we know the hard work is not over yet. Every point counts and the team is motivated to ensure we’re executing a good race and providing the drivers with the best package possible.” 

Track insights

If F1 was going to return to the City of Lights, for the first time in more than 40 years, then it had to be special. The circuit needed to feel like Las Vegas, and this 6.2km, 17-turn street circuit certainly achieves that.

Visually, much like the Circuit de Monaco, a lap around the track leaves you in no doubts as to where exactly in the world you are, passing through iconic Vegas landmarks including the Venetian, the Bellagio, Caesars Palace and the Sphere.

But it also physically feels like Las Vegas to drive, with the high-speed street circuit embodying the city’s thrilling, wild and glamourous nature.

A 1.1-mile-long straight down the city’s famous Strip sets the tone, presenting the most likely overtaking opportunity on what is the circuit’s most iconic setting. The next best place to make a move is down the Monza-esque back straight, between Turns 12 and 14, with speeds reaching roughly 215mph.

Don’t expect it to be warm, though. With the race taking place during the night in November, one of Las Vegas’ biggest challenges in 2023 proved to be the temperature, with an average low of eight degrees Celsius and the possibility for it to drop to just four degrees.

The season so far

The São Paulo Grand Prix was among our tougher races of 2024, but Lando and Oscar still brought home a healthy haul of points, finishing sixth and eighth. This followed Lando’s Sprint win, with Oscar in second. The points from the two results extended our lead in the Constructors’ Championship to 36 points.

F1 translations: Corner types

F1 is full of specialist slang and complicated jargon that can stump even the most avid of fans, which is why we’ll be explaining common F1 terminology ahead of each Grand Prix this season. This week, it’s corner types.

There are many types of corner in F1, all of which present their own unique challenges, and we’ll be covering a few of the most common below.

A chicane isn’t one singular corner, but a sequence of several tight turns alternating between left- and right-handers, all taken at low speed. These are used to slow cars down and bunch them up, usually following a long straight, to boost overtaking opportunities.  

A hairpin is F1’s tightest corner and, much like a chicane, is used to create an overtaking opportunity, as they slow cars down and bunch them up. These corners are 180 degrees and are named as such because they look like a hairpin. There’s a lot of time to be gained in these corners, benefitting those who can brake late, accelerate quickly, and hit the right racing lines.

Named due to their ‘S’ shape, Esses are similar to chicanes in that they are a sequence of turns, rather than a standalone corner, but they require very different techniques. Silverstone, Suzuka and Austin are all famous for their ‘S’ sequences. Esses are a series of high-speed corners featuring rapid changes of direction, requiring very little braking but ultimate precision.

Double-apex corners don’t have quite as catchy a name as some of the other turns on this list, but they’re just as exciting. It’s essentially two corners in one, meaning that drivers hit two apex points in quick succession. Aerodynamics are important in these corners, as is taking the right racing line, which usually involves running a little wide between the two and taking it as if it is one corner, rather than two.

On the face of it, a 90-degree corner looks like it would be the easiest of this list, but they do present their own unique challenges. They’re commonplace on wider circuits, among the faster types of turn, and require little to no braking. They’ll often precede a long straight, making it vital for a driver to carry as much speed as possible. This can help to set-up an overtake at the next turn.

F1 icebreaker

Stuck for conversation with your F1-loving friends? Spark up a discussion with our F1 icebreaker…

Designers explored 31 different potential layouts for the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, before committing to the one that debuted in 2023, following a year of construction.  

The fit: The Las Vegas Collection

Just like Las Vegas itself, there’s a lot going on in this year’s Las Vegas collection, with something for everyone. Want a shirt for a night out? There’s Reiss’ short sleeve Cuban print shirt. Need a comfy fit for watching the sessions on the sofa? New Era have released matching hoodies, T-shirts, shorts and joggers. Need a new pair of sunglasses or some trainers to finish off an outfit? SunGod have you sorted.