Titles and hefty monetary prizes are at steak across the grid as we head into the first of the final three races of the 2024 Formula 1 season.
It’s been an enthralling 2024 F1 season so far. Seven different race winners, including five in the last five rounds. Ten different podium finishers, including two unlikely names last time out in Interlagos.
You can expect more of the same as F1 heads to its second-ever Las Vegas GP this weekend. The 2024 Las Vegas GP kicks off the final triple-header which includes subsequent visits to Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Max Verstappen returned to winning ways last time out in Interlagos. The Dutchman showed why he still remains the status quo in F1, even in the face of Red Bull’s declining fortunes. On a rainy Sao Paulo afternoon, Verstappen steadily moved up from 17th on the grid to win the race.
While he did benefit from a mid-race red flag, there’s no doubt he would have finished comfortably in the top five without it. Verstappen bookended the race by his brilliance.
Verstappen followed up an overtaking masterclass in the first 12 laps with a peerless performance. Overtaking Esteban Ocon on the safety car restart on Lap 43, what followed were 27 flawless laps. The Dutch maestro set fastest lap after fastest lap, bringing back flashes of the old, dominant Verstappen from 2023. He romped to victory by over 20 seconds.
As for Verstappen, he has effectively sealed the championship heading into Las Vegas. Outscoring Norris by a mere three points ensures the Dutchman seals a fourth world championship in Sin City. Such was the hammer blow Verstappen struck with one outstanding performance.
However, there are still plenty more talking points as F1 heads to one of its most awaited locations of the year. Constructors’ battles up and down still remain to play for, heading into F1’s final triple header.
F1 heads into Las Vegas: Expect entertainment once again
Las Vegas is popular for many things, including entertainment. There’s good reason why it’s the Entertainment Capital of the World. For one weekend, however, the entertainment remains confined to the city streets.
Vegas is also known as the City of Second Chances. However, the streets of Las Vegas wouldn’t offer any second chances to drivers. In the narrow streets of Paradise Valley, even a minor moment of oversteer can send you into the barriers, and out of the race. Just ask Lando Norris — the McLaren driver experienced a heavy crash last year. His McLaren appeared to bottom out on the run down to Turn 12, causing a massive crash with the barriers.
The battles will only heat up around this speedy Las Vegas Strip Circuit. The 6.2 km (3.8 mi) long street circuit features long straights split by slow corners. A few tricky corners can catch the drivers out too.
The main overtaking spot is Turn 14, at the end of the nearly 2-kilometre-long Las Vegas Strip. This was where Charles Leclerc stunningly leapt past Sergio Perez for second on the last lap. Such is the nature of the corner. It allows drivers to go all-in after one of the longest straights on the calendar.
Other overtaking zones include the right-hander of Turn 3. This is where Oscar Piastri dived past Pierre Gasly, and the two Alpines duelled it out mid-race. Both these straights come at the end of DRS zones, aiding overtaking even further.
The slow left-right chicane of Turns six and seven serves as an unorthodox passing spot, past the Las Vegas sphere. Otherwise, you can risk a move into Turn 12, as Verstappen did on George Russell last year.
The Main battles to watch out for in the 2024 Las Vegas GP
Norris will know he can’t afford any slip-ups, given he will need to outscore Verstappen by a minimum of three points to keep the championship going into Qatar. There’s also the Constructors’ championship. McLaren hold a 36-point advantage over Ferrari, and 49 over reigning champs Red Bull. A minor slip-up or miscalculation from the Woking team could swing the championship big time. As such, every point is crucial.
Ferrari might consider themselves holding the advantage heading into Sin City. The long straights will play into the SF24’s hands, providing Leclerc or Carlos Sainz a chance to grow their win tally. However, if there’s ever anything you can conclude from this year, never discount anyone at your peril. McLaren and Red Bull would be worthy race challengers come Saturday night.
While Mercedes and Aston Martin remain locked onto their positions, another major battle is brewing behind them. Alpine’s stunning double podium has lifted the French marque up into sixth. They sit just three points ahead of Haas in seventh, and five ahead of VCARB in eighth.
The bag of points would certainly motivate the French team to push hard in the final triple header. Should they hold on, the financial gain could be as big as $50 Million, compared to finishing ninth in the standings.
In this battle lower down, it’s all about capitalising on the opportunities that come about. Every point counts, but each penny is worth gold for the smaller outfits. While these teams often scrap around the lower points on the grid, a topsy-turvy race can turn things completely upside down. As Alpine exemplified in Interlagos, it’s all about grabbing opportunities offered up to you.
What’s new for the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix?
Three teams revealed new liveries in the run-up to the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix. Alpine, fresh off their haul of points in Interlagos, unveiled a striking all-pink livery they would run for the final triple-header of the season.
Additionally, KICK Sauber revealed a flaming green livery for the Las Vegas GP weekend. The outgoing pairing of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will adorn the flames livery on their race suits too.
The team referred to the design as a symbol of their “unwavering spirit” and “this team doesn’t give up until the very end, no matter what challenges are thrown in front of it”.
Ferrari too revealed new race suits for Leclerc and Sainz. The race suits feature a sandy pattern, inspired by the Nevada desert. “Bringing the desert sun to Formula One,” read the team’s post on social media.
RB are the latest team to unveil a one-off livery for this weekend. Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson are set to run a glitter-inspired colour scheme on their VCARB01.
What time is the 2024 Las Vegas GP?
In the City that Never Sleeps, the race is set to take place in the night. We revert to a Saturday race this weekend, to air the race on Sunday across the world. The race kicks off at 22:00 local time on Saturday, 23rd November, heading towards the middle of the night.
Timings for the 2024 Las Vegas GP:
Thursday, 21st November, 2024
Free Practice 1: 18:30 – 19:30 local time (02:30 – 03:30 GMT)
Free Practice 2: 22:00 – 23:00 local time (06:00 – 07:00 GMT)
Friday, 22nd November, 2024
Free Practice 3: 18:30 – 19:30 local time (02:30 – 03:30 GMT)
Qualifying: 22:00 – 23:00 local time (06:00 – 07:00 GMT)
Saturday, 23rd November, 2024
Main race (50 laps): 22:00 local time (06:00 GMT)
With temperatures expected to hover between 10 – 20 degrees Celsius this weekend, it mirrors last year’s race. What are your predictions for the outcome of the weekend’s events in Vegas? Do let us know in the comments below!
