Why is the Las Vegas Grand Prix on a Saturday?

There’s a large buzz round F1 in the intervening time in America. The Vegas grandstands are up, the gang has been partying to a dwell efficiency from Kylie Minogue, whereas vibrant fireworks are popping forward of a weekend like no different.

The 20 drivers had been additionally introduced to the Vegas crowd on Wednesday evening as a part of a gap ceremony, but it surely was to not all people’s liking. Reigning world champion Max Verstappen said he felt like a “clown” as drivers had been lifted onto large platforms on the pit straight including “it’s 99% present, and 1% sporting occasion”.

Vegas goes towards the grain, and that can be seen within the schedule. All 2023 grand prix weekends have taken place from Friday to Sunday, however not Vegas. Observe time begins on Thursday with the race happening on Saturday evening, however why has F1 modified its schedule for the Las Vegas GP?

Why the Las Vegas Grand Prix is on Saturday

It’s basically a bid to get as many world viewers as potential as a result of Vegas time zone. The town, which is within the western US state of Nevada, is eight hours behind the UK and 9 behind central Europe.

If F1 stored to a standard schedule with a race begin time at 10pm on Sunday, it will be Monday morning in Europe with many voters leaving for work and an underwhelming viewers dimension wouldn’t be preferrred. This fashion, by staging all the things 24 hours earlier, extra folks ought to have the chance to observe.

However an argument to keep away from that early begin in Europe is to host the race at midday making it 8pm within the UK, nevertheless the Las Vegas GP was at all times going to be a night-time race.

F1 needed it to be held throughout the metropolis’s primetime, the place the well-known skyline is lit up for the large event with vehicles racing down the long-lasting Strip. And if it had been to be held only a few hours earlier, then it’s the midnight in Europe that means extra folks would in all probability simply watch all of it on catch-up.

That is one occasion that F1 has been constructing as much as for a really very long time, and the weekend wants as many viewers as potential. CEO Stefano Domenicali stated final yr that the collection should be versatile and such a begin time makes watching the Las Vegas GP viable for everyone.

Las Vegas Grand Prix full schedule

Thursday 16 November/Friday 17 November
Las Vegas GP Free Follow 1: 8:30pm native time, 4:30am GMT
Las Vegas GP Free Follow 2: 12am native time, 8am GMT

Friday 17 November/Saturday 18 November
Las Vegas GP Free Follow 3: 8:30pm native time, 4:30am GMT
Las Vegas GP Qualifying: 12am native time, 8am GMT

Saturday 18 November/Sunday 19 November
Las Vegas GP: 10pm native time, 6am GMT

Is the Las Vegas Grand Prix the primary F1 race not held on a Sunday?

In brief, no. Vegas will change into the 74th official F1 world championship race to not be held on a Sunday as on daily basis of the week has truly hosted one.

It started with the 1950 British GP on a Saturday, and the race continued to be held on a Saturday yearly till 1975. Again then, it was fairly widespread for world championship races to not be run on Sunday, particularly when the Indianapolis 500 was formally a part of the championship between 1950 and 1960.

Historically the Indy 500 was on 30 Might, whatever the day of the week, but when that fell on a Sunday then vehicles would race round The Brickyard the subsequent day. This meant the Indy 500 used to occur on totally different days every season with it on a Tuesday in 1950, earlier than being held on the entire different days in subsequent years.

As seasons glided by, although, it turned extra of the norm for F1 grands prix to be run on Sundays. Vegas would be the first one not on that day for the reason that 1985 South African GP, held on a Saturday, which is one other race that used to alternate its days. In 1968, for instance, it was even held on New Years’ Day which was a Monday.

In the meantime, though it’s the inaugural Las Vegas GP F1 has truly visited the town earlier than however the occasion was held beneath a distinct identify. The Caesars Palace GPs passed off in 1981 and 1982 which had been additionally on Saturdays.

The introduction of dash races in 2021 added further complexity, particularly when it got here to the championship. In 2023, Verstappen sealed his third drivers’ world championship after the Qatar GP dash race on a Saturday, which made him the primary driver to win the title not on a Sunday since Nelson Piquet in 1987.

The Brazilian triple world champion clinched it after Friday qualifying on the season’s penultimate spherical in Japan, as Nigel Mansell crashed closely which dominated him out for the remainder of the weekend that means he may not catch rival Piquet within the standings.

Regardless of Piquet’s three championships, not considered one of them was gained on a Sunday. His maiden title (1981) was clinched in Vegas on a Saturday, whereas Piquet’s second (1983) got here in South Africa additionally on a Saturday.

Photograph by: Motorsport Images

Las Vegas venue was utilized in 1981 for Caesars Palace GP

Record of F1 World Championship races not held on a Sunday

*The listing excludes dash races