F1 (Formula 1) coming to Las Vegas; November 2023, night race down Strip

PCSPounder

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Apr 12, 2012
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The Outskirts of Nutria Nanny

Probably in 2023. No official announcement, yet
This confused me a bit. Considering F1 flirted with New Jersey after getting Austin established, and then has Miami on the schedule this year, I didn’t think F1 would consider a third USA race.

While I know F1 has grown in attention here over the last few years, I’d be a little surprised if Vegas is established so soon after Miami. Mind you, the history of trying to get something established near New York is a necessary cautionary tale.
 

LadyStanley

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Sep 22, 2004
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@PCSPounder I don't follow F1, so don't know the history that much. Seems like a "done deal" from all the articles I've been reading. (But when it might happen. :dunno: )

LVMS is nearby and already hosts a couple of NASCAR events annually. (There's also the Mint 400 off road race.)

So racing fans do know of Vegas as a destination.


As to timing in a season, the best weather is October/November and April/May. (Gets really hot after mid-May, and the high desert winter does have biting winds and occasional freezing temperatures that could keep the fans indoors.) NASCAR events are March and September (but moving to October), IIRC.
 

MXD

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Oct 27, 2005
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Please, don't. Already enough events in the US as it is.
 

Kane One

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Feb 6, 2010
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@PCSPounder I don't follow F1, so don't know the history that much. Seems like a "done deal" from all the articles I've been reading. (But when it might happen. :dunno: )

LVMS is nearby and already hosts a couple of NASCAR events annually. (There's also the Mint 400 off road race.)

So racing fans do know of Vegas as a destination.


As to timing in a season, the best weather is October/November and April/May. (Gets really hot after mid-May, and the high desert winter does have biting winds and occasional freezing temperatures that could keep the fans indoors.) NASCAR events are March and September (but moving to October), IIRC.
F1/FIA (governing body of motor sports) has safety rankings of every circuit, and I don’t believe LVMS makes the cut.

This race will be a street race that’s assembled and taken down each year (similar to the Monaco GP if you’ve heard of it).
 

Kane One

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Feb 6, 2010
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@Kane One and Long Beach Grand Prix?
Yep, it will be a non-permanent track like that.

However as of now, only Indy (non-oval configuration), Miami, and Austin are the only Grade 1 circuits in the US. If the LV street race happens, that will be Grade 1 too.

The Long Beach Street Circuit, although it used to host F1 races, is Grade 2. Since it’s a street circuit, they’d more easily be able to tweak it if it ever hosted another F1 race to bring it up to modern F1 safety standards.
 

LadyStanley

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Many LVB (Las Vegas Blvd) intersections have been upgraded over the past years with pedestrian overpasses (no street level pedestrian traffic/crossing). I can imagine that a few more overpases might be installed to help with street level safety and allowing for some viewing areas.

They have also installed bollards to prevent vehicles from sidewalk incursion (or walls).

I can imagine that they'd have to do more boundary protection (K walls?).

They've already mentioned they'd have to weld man hole covers down.
 

BigBadBruins7708

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Dec 11, 2017
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track layout is in the F1 release, basically going down the Strip, turn on Harmon, turn on Koval, loop around the MSG Sphere (gonna be a beauty shot for sure) then Sands back to the Strip

image.jpg
 
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LadyStanley

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On another site, someone posted this will be Thanksgiving weekend. Haven't seen official announcement that is the date but would make sense.
 

LadyStanley

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That stretch of the Strip has pedestrian overpasses at the ends, but not many between and it's one of the areas that a lot of foot traffic happens.

I can imagine that most of the major resorts will invest in overpasses for (future) pedestrian safety and a way for folks to move around during the race.

However.....


They'll be closing the pedestrian bridges (so no one can toss something onto the track.
 

PCSPounder

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Apr 12, 2012
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On another site, someone posted this will be Thanksgiving weekend. Haven't seen official announcement that is the date but would make sense.
Thanksgiving (pre-pandemic) was a rather high rent holiday for Vegas. Running it then seems like piling on a bit when the weekend prior might make more sense.

But that’s just me dreaming of owning a casino and trying to understand this from that perspective. And F1 will think about F1.
 

varsaku

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Feb 14, 2014
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Drive to Survive has really ignited an interest in F1 in recent years here in the US.

Tickets to Austin GP used to be so much cheaper for General Admission and was easy to get even closer to the race. Now they sell out instantly and are nearly double the cost. It sucks American GPs are so much more expensive than races in Europe.
 
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varsaku

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That stretch of the Strip has pedestrian overpasses at the ends, but not many between and it's one of the areas that a lot of foot traffic happens.

I can imagine that most of the major resorts will invest in overpasses for (future) pedestrian safety and a way for folks to move around during the race.

However.....


They'll be closing the pedestrian bridges (so no one can toss something onto the track.

There are pedestrian bridges on COTA but they cover it so no one can toss things onto the track or just stand and watch there. They could do something similar to allow people to move around especially during free practice.
 

BigBadBruins7708

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Dec 11, 2017
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That stretch of the Strip has pedestrian overpasses at the ends, but not many between and it's one of the areas that a lot of foot traffic happens.

I can imagine that most of the major resorts will invest in overpasses for (future) pedestrian safety and a way for folks to move around during the race.

However.....


They'll be closing the pedestrian bridges (so no one can toss something onto the track.

Im guessing the sidewalks will be packed like New Years Eve.

Maybe they install temporary stands on the closed intersections. You know the casinos will charge big money to get into any of the clubs or pools that overlook the Strip that night.

They'll definitely build a main grandstand at turns 1-4, since that all empty lot or parking lots
 

LadyStanley

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Sep 22, 2004
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They are looking at three days of street closures. So they would have to be able to install any temporary stands in an hour, and break it down similarly. Perhaps a mobile/movable system that could be driven into place?
 

BigBadBruins7708

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Dec 11, 2017
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They are looking at three days of street closures. So they would have to be able to install any temporary stands in an hour, and break it down similarly. Perhaps a mobile/movable system that could be driven into place?

Hmmm, yeah they probably go that route if possible. Pre assemble some cheap steel bleachers in chunks then forklift them into place
 

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