In the next year, Las Vegas will play host to several events hotly anticipated by racing fans. 2033 will see the Pennzoil 400 in full charge at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. Later, in October, the speedway will host three days of the South Point 400 Weekend. Finally, the year will be topped off by perhaps the biggest racing event—one held at a very special site.
When the Las Vegas Grand Prix was announced this past March, some race fans were a little surprised. After all, the last time Sin City hosted this event was back in 1981 and 1982, when the city had yet to cement its reputation as a world-class travel destination. Some felt that the route, mapped around Caesar’s property, was a little underwhelming.
It is four decades later, and times have definitely changed. Formula 1 racing has taken its place alongside NASCAR, garnering an ever-larger audience. Las Vegas is a natural for this internationally staged event. And Vegas is pulling out all the stops. A pit and paddock site just northeast of the Strip has received nearly $30 million in investment. It will need to be that close: The Las Vegas Grand Prix features a 3.8 mile track on the Strip itself, no less than the third-longest circuit of 2023.
Belgium and Saudi Arabia may have longer tracks, but neither has anything that compares to cheering on high-stakes racing along the iconic Las Vegas Strip. Moreover, the Prix will not only be held on a rare Saturday, but it will be one of the few Grand Prix events to be held at night, with a 10:00 p.m. start time—fitting for the city that never sleeps!
This 50 lap race will feature 14 corners, with several tight corners to provide opportunities for overtaking. There are also three straightaways in which driver speeds can reach 200 mph, among the fastest speeds ever seen in a Grand Prix. One of these straightaways will run along two miles of Las Vegas Boulevard. The course itself will be spot lit throughout, with the drivers racing along surface streets while passing many famous attractions, including the High Roller Ferris Wheel, the Wynn Hotel and Resort, the Sands, Encore, the Palazzo at the Venetian, and others. There will be many places to enjoy the action all along the Strip and experience the race firsthand.
Running from November 16–18, Las Vegas joins Austria, Qatar, and Brazil in hosting an F1 event next year. As scenic as these locations can be, none will hold the excitement of seeing the Grand Prix take flight amidst one of the most iconic settings in the world. As the last major open-wheel race was held on the streets of Sin City in 2007, this is a not-to-be missed racing event. Book early!
