Formula 1 isn't one of the topics we normally cover at Auto123, but when news like the one confirmed today comes out, it’s hard not to pay it some heed.
The news involves the inclusion of a Las Vegas race on the Formula 1 calendar, starting next year. Not only that, it won’t be run on a track on the outskirts of town, but right in the heart of Vegas itself. And yes, that means F1 cars will race on the famed Vegas Strip.
The addition of a Vegas stop means that the Formula 1 circus will come to three American towns in the same year, which falls in the category of who Could Have Predicted This? After the fiasco of the 2005 Indianapolis race and its tire scandal, and given that the U.S. fell off the F1 circuit calendar entirely in 2008, few would have bet in those years on the return of the Formula 1 to American soil even once, let alone three times.
A lot has changed since then, however. So in addition to Las Vegas being added next year, F1 is racing in Austin, Texas, as well as in Miami, a stop added to the schedule this year.
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Las Vegas will host the event on a Saturday night in November, a rarity in an F1 calendar where races are traditionally held on Sunday. Mind you, a presentation here in the evening means a Sunday morning in Europe. And in Vegas, as you know, everything happens at night.
“This is an incredible moment for Formula One that demonstrates the huge appeal and growth of our sport with a third race in the US,” said Stefano Domenicali, F1's chief executive.
He added that “Las Vegas is a destination known around the world for its hospitality, thrills, and of course, the famous Strip. There is no better place for a Formula 1 race than in the entertainment capital of the world and we are very much looking forward to being there next year.”
No doubt, the images will be spectacular and certainly, anyone who has set foot in Vegas will want to check it out.