Twenty of the world’s fastest drivers will face a unique challenge this weekend.
The 2023 Formula One World Championship is headed to Las Vegas, where a 50-lap race will be held on a brand new Las Vegas Strip Circuit. The course will use several of the busiest streets in Las Vegas to create a 3.853-mile, 17-corner track.
While Max Verstappen has already clinched the 2023 championship, there’s still plenty of reason to tune in to this star-studded event. Between the fast cars, the bright lights and the celebrities in attendance, the weekend will undoubtedly be memorable.
Here’s everything to know about the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix:
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
F1 Las Vegas race time and date
The Las Vegas Grand Prix is set for Saturday, Nov. 18, at 10 p.m. PT.
What is the F1 Las Vegas race schedule?
Sports
Get today's sports news out of Los Angeles. Here's the latest on the Dodgers, Lakers, Angels, Kings, Galaxy, LAFC, USC, UCLA and more LA teams.
Events will be held over the course of three nights, with three free practice sessions, one qualifying session and then the race. Here’s the weekend schedule:
Thursday, Nov. 16
- Free practice 1, 8:30 p.m. PT
Friday, Nov. 17
- Free practice 2, 12 a.m. PT
- Free practice 3, 8:30 p.m. PT
Saturday, Nov. 18
- Qualifying, 12 a.m. PT
- Las Vegas Grand Prix, 10 p.m. ET
How to watch the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix
In the United States, all Formula One events air exclusively on ESPN networks as a simulcast of the Sky Sports broadcast in the United Kingdom. All events from Las Vegas will air on the ESPN app, ESPN+ and these TV channels:
- Free practice 1: ESPN2
- Free practice 2: ESPN
- Free practice 3: ESPNU
- Qualifying: ESPN
- Las Vegas Grand Prix: ESPN
What is the Las Vegas F1 circuit map and details?
The Las Vegas Strip Circuit contains sections on Las Vegas Boulevard (The Strip), Harmon Avenue, Koval Lane and Sands Avenue. While driving along the track, drivers will pass by famous Las Vegas sites like Caesars Palace, the Bellagio, the Venetian and the newly opened Sphere. The 50-lap, 192.65-mile race will see drivers reach an estimated top speed of 212 mph on the main straight (Las Vegas Blvd.).
Here’s a rendering of the circuit, which will officially be brought to life this weekend:
Is this the first F1 race in Las Vegas?
No – the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix will be the third F1 race held in Sin City.
In 1981 and 1982, Formula One held the “Caesars Palace Grand Prix” on a temporary circuit in the car park of the Caesars Palace hotel. Alan Jones (1981) and Michele Alboreto (1982) won the two races before a 41-year period without an F1 race in Vegas.
Why are the F1 events in Las Vegas so late?
There are several reasons as to why the on-track activity is so late at night.
First and foremost, the series had to work with the city to coordinate street closures during the race weekend. Holding the on-track events until late at night eases the burden of having to close off major streets in a highly-active city.
Another reason for the late start could be to appease the European audience, which is F1’s largest fanbase. The race will begin early on Sunday morning across the continent (6 a.m. in the UK, 7 a.m. in Italy/France/Spain/Germany), so an earlier start time in the U.S. would mean a really early start time in Europe.
Who are the F1 drivers and teams for Las Vegas?
There are 10 teams and 20 drivers in Formula One, with two drivers per team. Las Vegas will be the 21st of 22 races this season, with the schedule concluding next week in Abu Dhabi. Here’s a quick primer of every team and driver entering the Las Vegas Grand Prix with their season stats through 20 races:
Red Bull
- Max Verstappen, Netherlands, No. 1
- Season: 17 wins, 19 podiums, 1.3 average finish, 922 laps led, 524 points (first, clinched title)
- Career: 52 wins, 96 podiums, three championships (2021-23)
- Sergio Perez, Mexico, No. 11
- Season: 2 wins, 8 podiums, 6.1 average finish, 138 laps led, 258 points (second)
- Career: 6 wins, 34 podiums, best standing of third (2022)
Mercedes
- Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, No. 44
- Season: 6 podiums, 6.0 average finish, 13 laps led, 226 points (third)
- Career: 103 wins (most ever), 197 podiums (most ever), seven championships (2008, 2014-15, 2017-20, tied for most ever)
- George Russell, Great Britain, No. 63
- Season: 1 podium, 8.4 average finish, 6 laps led, 156 points (eighth)
- Career: 1 win, 10 podiums, best standing of fourth (2022)
Ferrari
- Carlos Sainz, Spain, No. 55
- Season: 1 win, 3 podiums, 7.1 average finish, 77 laps led, 192 points (sixth)
- Career: 2 wins, 18 podiums, best standing of fifth (2021, 2022)
- Charles Leclerc, Monaco, No. 16
- Season: 4 podiums, 8.9 average finish, 27 laps led, 170 points (seventh)
- Career: 5 wins, 28 podiums, best standing of second (2022)
McLaren
- Lando Norris, Great Britain, No. 4
- Season: 7 podiums, 7.6 average finish, 30 laps led, 195 points (fifth)
- Career: 0 wins, 13 podiums, best standing of sixth (2021)
- Oscar Piastri, Australia, No. 81
- Season: 2 podiums, 11.2 average finish, 1 lap led, 87 points (ninth)
- Career: 0 wins, 2 podiums, rookie in 2023
Aston Martin
- Fernando Alonso, Spain, No. 14
- Season: 8 podiums, 6.5 average finish, 3 laps led, 198 points (fourth)
- Career: 32 wins, 106 podiums, two championships (2005-06)
- Lance Stroll, Canada, No. 18
- Season: Best finish of fourth, 11.6 average finish, 63 points (10th)
- Career: 0 wins, 3 podiums, best standing of 11th (2020)
Alpine
- Pierre Gasly, France, No. 10
- Season: 1 podium, 10.6 average finish, 62 points (11th)
- Career: 1 win, 4 podiums, best standing of seventh (2019)
- Esteban Ocon, France, No. 31
- Season: 1 podium, 12.3 average finish, 46 points (12th)
- Career: 1 win, 3 podiums, best standing of eighth (2017)
Williams
- Alexander Albon, Thailand, No. 23
- Best finish of seventh (twice), 12.4 average finish, 27 points (13th)
- Career: 0 wins, 2 podiums, best standing of seventh (2020)
- Logan Sargeant, United States, No. 2
- Season: Best finish of 10th, 15.8 average finish, 1 point (21st)
- Career: 0 wins, 0 podiums, rookie in 2023
AlphaTauri
- Yuki Tsunoda, Japan, No. 22
- Season: Best finish of eighth, 13.7 average finish, 13 points (14th)
- Career: 0 wins, 0 podiums, best standing of 14th (2021)
- Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, No. 3
- Season: Five starts, best finish of seventh, 12.8 average finish, 6 points (17th)
- Career: 8 wins, 32 podiums, best standing of third (2014, 2016)
Alfa Romeo
- Valtteri Bottas, Finland, No. 77
- Season: Best finish of eighth (twice), 13.6 average finish, 10 points (15th)
- Career: 10 wins, 67 podiums, best standing of second (2019-20)
- Zhou Guanyu, China, No. 24
- Season: Best finish of ninth (three times), 13.9 average finish, 6 points (18th)
- Career: 0 wins, 0 podiums, best standing of 18th (2022)
Haas
- Nico Hülkenberg, Germany, No. 27
- Season: Best finish of seventh, 14.3 average finish, 9 points (16th)
- Career: 0 wins, 0 podiums, best standing of seventh (2018)
- Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, No. 20
- Season: Best finish of 10th (three times), 15.5 average finish, 3 points (19th)
- Career: 0 wins, 1 podium, best standing of ninth (2018)
