Showing posts with label Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023. Show all posts

Monday, 20 November 2023

COLUMN: F1 HITS THE JACKPOT ON LAS VEGAS ON ITS $500 MILLION GAMBLE AFTER MANY STUMBLES ON THE STRIP

AP Photo 

LAS VEGAS (AP) — There were missteps and mistakes, and a master class in how not to handle customer relations. But by the time Justin Bieber waved the checkered flag on Formula One's return to Las Vegas, the $500 million Sin City gamble had hit the jackpot.

F1 and owner Liberty Media hosted an electrifying event Saturday night that turned out to be both one of the best races of the season and a glitzy international spectacle that can only be pulled off in Las Vegas.

It was like a show with poor reviews that suddenly becomes an overnight hit.

Max Verstappen trashed the race every chance he got, but the LVGP delivered for the eventual winner and he was singing “Viva Las Vegas!” as he won for the 18th time this season. He was an instant Las Vegas convert.

Verstappen said he'd have to analyze the rest of the season before declaring Saturday night the best race of the year, but smiled and said: "It was a fun race. I enjoyed it."

Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez even suggested Las Vegas should be F1's season finale.

F1 2023 DRIVER STANDINGS | POINTS AFTE4 LAS VEGAS GP


 

Saturday, 18 November 2023

F1 TRIES TO RECOVER FROM EMBARRASSING FIRST DAY OF LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX

AP Photo 

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Formula One is hoping to turn its luck around on the Strip, like so many other Las Vegas visitors who blow a big bankroll on arrival.

The elite global motorsports series placed a $500 million gamble on a new event in Sin City promoted for the first time by F1 and owner Liberty Media. But it now must recover after an opening-night debacle in which the first practice was ruined just nine minutes in when Carlos Sainz Jr. ran over a water valve cover on the temporary street course.

“Judge us by what happens when the checkered flag falls on Saturday," asked Williams team principal James Vowles.

When Sainz bottomed out on the drainage valve minutes into Thursday night's first practice, it caused extensive damage to the underbody of his Ferrari and Sainz said the piece broke through far enough to damage his seat. F1 then closed the course to inspect the entire 3.85-mile (6.2 kilometer) circuit that utilizes a long portion of the Strip.

GEORGE RUSSELL AFRTER FP2