What to expect this weekend
Weather Forecast
Cooler temperatures are anticipated. The time zone change moves the start of the race weekend forward, with practice on Thursday night and the race on Saturday night (local time). Daytime temperatures of 14°C (58°F) are forecast for Thursday and Friday, rising to 18°C (64°F) on Saturday, with nighttime temperatures around 12°C (53°F). Chance of light rain on Thursday and Friday night.
This week’s highlights
- Drivers’ championship: Where the title could be decided, Qatar or Abu Dhabi.
- Mika Hakkinen, Formula 1 champion, and his daughter join McLaren’s driver development program.
- Agreement for F1 Academy: Cadillac will join from 2027.
- Analysis of the most hard-fought F1 titles.
- Audi reveals its design concept for its 2026 debut.
How the championship is going
Lando Norris leads with a 24-point advantage over his teammate, Oscar Piastri. Max Verstappen is 49 points behind Norris and 25 behind Piastri.- Norris (390 pts) – 17 podiums, 7 victories
- Piastri (366 pts) – 14 podiums, 7 victories
- Verstappen (341 pts) – 12 podiums, 5 victories
Circuit Data and History
Las Vegas hosted a Formula 1 Grand Prix for the first time in 1981, for two years. Known as the Caesars Palace Grand Prix, it was run around the casino hotel’s parking lot. The race was unsuccessful and the idea was abandoned until Liberty Media, the new owners of F1, took up the idea to increase the exposure of F1 in the United States. The Grand Prix returned to the F1 calendar in 2023, with an approximate cost of 500 million dollars. The street circuit is one of the few night races on the calendar, and includes the famous Strip of the city and different landmarks around the city, such as the Bellagio and the Sphere.Circuit: Las Vegas Strip Circuit; Las Vegas, NevadaFirst F1 race: 2023
Contents
Lap record: 1:34.876, Norris (2024)
Laps: 50 laps of 6.2 km
Previous winners: Verstappen (2023), George Russell (2024)
Previous pole positions: Charles Leclerc (2023), Russell (2024)
What makes it special: F1’s newest and most eye-catching street race, with one of the world’s most famous backdrops. American sporting spectacle meets motor racing. It’s not just about the show, the Las Vegas circuit is also excellent for racing, an unexpected surprise for the event now considered the jewel in the crown of F1.
It’s Vegas, baby. This is about the show.
Logan Sargeant
What happened last year?
Max Verstappen secured his fourth world title, while George Russell led a 1-2 with Lewis Hamilton for Mercedes. Verstappen only needed to finish ahead of Lando Norris to secure the drivers’ championship. He finished fifth, one place ahead of Norris, who obtained the extra point for the fastest lap. Hamilton finished 7.5 seconds behind Russell after starting from tenth position, while Carlos Sainz finished third.How to watch the Grand Prix
For fans in the United States, the live broadcast is on ESPN and ESPN+. In the UK, live coverage is on Sky Sports F1 and BBC Radio 5 Live, with highlights on Channel 4. For news, analysis, and updates, follow the coverage.Session Times (GMT):Friday
Free practice one: 00:30-01:30 GMT Free practice two: 04:00-05:00 GMTSaturday
Free practice three: 00:30-01:30 GMT Classification: 04:00-05:00 GMTSunday
Start of the race: 04:00 GMT
