F1
The stars are out, the cars are rocking a new look and the drivers are on show. Formula One lights up Sin City with the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix. Keep track of the big stories right here.
Summary
- 1Verstappen and Pérez are aces in Las Vegas
- 2How to buy an F1 car
- 3Max on the front row for the 15th time in 2023
- 4The Sphere takes centre stage
- 5Bling if you’re winning: special edition helmets at the Las Vegas Grand …
- 6Horner Birthday Christian Horner
- 7FP1: A rocky start to the Las Vegas Grand Prix
- 8FP2: Max is racing already
- 9JV ties the knot
- 10Star-studded opening acts for the Las Vegas Grand Prix
- 11High stakes hovercraft racing in the Nevada desert
- 12The Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit takes shape
- 13Unveiling the Neon Bull
- 14Ready for the Big Time: F1
- 15Dressed to impress
- 16Daniel Ricciardo discovers Bono is a fan
The drivers enjoyed a showbiz introduction to the cheering fans at Formula One’s new Las Vegas Grand Prix. With the neon of Las Vegas providing a jaw-dropping backdrop, the scene was set for action.
01
Verstappen and Pérez are aces in Las Vegas
Starting P2 on the grid, Max Verstappen seized the lead of the first Las Vegas Grand Prix with a muscular pass on pole-sitter Charles Leclerc. In most races this season, that would be game over but Verstappen picked up a five-second penalty and as his tyres faded before pitting, the Monegasque reclaimed the lead.
Meanwhile, Sergio Pérez made up places to take the lead from Leclerc but with less downforce than the Ferrari or his team-mate, slipped back ultimately to third while Verstappen reclaimed the lead to take his record-breaking 19th win of the season – and a record 20th team win for Oracle Red Bull Racing. And P3 was enough to wrap up the runner-up spot in the drivers' championship for Pérez. The team leaves Vegas as big winners. Read the full report.
Let’s go celebrity spotting around the paddock in Las Vegas
At least two of the World's Sexiest Men of the Year award winners, supermodels, music royalty, the world's fastest man and the gang from Philadelphia were all at large in the paddock and grid at Las Vegas. Have a look at the celebrity gallery from the Las Vegas Grand Prix
A little more action, please
Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez revealed their race suits for the Las Vegas Grand Prix which are inspired by the jumpsuits of the King himself and created in partnership with Elvis Presley Enterprises. Browse the range for yourself.
02
How to buy an F1 car
Before the Grand Prix, the 2013 Mercedes W04, which Lewis Hamilton drove to his first win for the Silver Arrows, went under the hammer at auction and sold for a whopping US$18.8 million. And if you’d like to buy your own F1 car, this guide from The Red Bulletin shows you how.
03
Max on the front row for the 15th time in 2023
Charles Leclerc claimed pole position by four-tenths of a second from his team-mate Carlos Sainz. The P2 finish was vindication for the Spaniard and Red Bull Junior Team graduate who is still seething having picking up a 10-place grid penalty for installing new engine repairs to his car after a manhole cover smashed his Ferrari to pieces (see below). The key takeaway is Max Verstappen starts on the front row beside Leclerc and looks set to add to his record-breaking 2023 points haul.
Another former RBJT alumnus and former Verstappen team-mate Alex Albon had a great quali run and will start, P5 but the biggest smile belonged to Logan Sargeant who will line up beside his Williams team-mate. The rookie produced his best qualifying performance so far in front of his home fans – the best by an American driver since Eddie Cheever in 1987. It’s just reward after a challenging first season for the Floridian.
04
The Sphere takes centre stage
The star of the show so far has been The Sphere, with its non-stop display of F1 content, real-time standings and advertising. It’s so impressive that F1 has had to stop the Sphere from displaying red, blue or yellow lights during session times to avoid distracting the drivers.
05
Bling if you’re winning: special edition helmets at the Las Vegas Grand Prix
The drivers are rocking new looks for the first Las Vegas Grand Prix with special edition helmets. Max Verstappen broke cover with a neon-lit lid to match his Neon Bull RB19. Lando Norris’s helmet featured a rattlesnake – which should be good in the Esses – Valtteri Bottas had the Las Vegas skyline across his helmet and Esteban Ocon went full Deadpool. AlphaTauri drivers Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo have come in search of silver and gold in the tables around Las Vegas. And then Sergio Pérez followed his fun piñata-themed helmet from his home Grand Prix for a casino-inspired design.
06
Horner Birthday Christian Horner
Congratulations on another lap of the sun by the Oracle Red Bull Racing team boss. He reflects on some of his career highlights and the art of leadership.
07
FP1: A rocky start to the Las Vegas Grand Prix
As soon as the cars hit the track, the track hit back. Carlos Sainz ran over a drain cover. It hit the underside of his Ferrari, smashing his engine, energy store, control electronics, and even damaging the survival cell.
It had all been predicted by Rocky star Sylvester Stallone in his motor racing epic Driven (2001) and its infamous car chase through downtown Chicago.
Back to Vegas, and the crash spelled the end of the session and meant a complete rebuild for Sainz. Worse was to come, as even though the race stewards admitted fault, Sainz was still hit with a 10-place grid penalty for fitting a new power unit.
Team boss Fred Vasseur was furious. "We damaged completely the monocoque, the engine, the battery. I think it’s just unacceptable. It cost us a fortune. We fucked up the session for Carlos. We won’t be part of FP2, for sure. I think it’s just unacceptable for F1 today."
The repairs to the circuit extended long into the night, but it did mean the Ferrari mechanics were able to rebuild the SF-23, and both Ferraris were back on track in FP2.
08
FP2: Max is racing already
After a long delay for track repairs and with fans locked out of the stands for safety, there was the consolation that FP2 session was extended to 90 minutes. Max Verstappen was characteristically straight down to business and proceeded to set the early fastest times at 1m 38.209s, slotting ahead of the Ferraris and Alex Albon’s Williams. He even bustled past Charles Leclerc on the back straight to take the lead through the T14-16 sequence. “Max is racing already,” Charles joked over team radio.
09
JV ties the knot
It wouldn’t be Vegas without a wedding, and the F1 Grand Prix has set up a wedding chapel inside the circuit officiated by an Elvis impersonator who presides over special Race to the Altar F1 wedding packages. Appropriately, 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve was in first place, becoming the first person to get married in the F1 paddock as he and his sweetheart Giulia Marra got hitched.
10
Star-studded opening acts for the Las Vegas Grand Prix
Opening ceremonies don't get more glamorous than this. The stars in residence around Vegas's myriad venues came out at night to shine. There were performances by Kylie Minogue, Keith Urban, John Legend, 30 Seconds To Mars featuring actor Jared Leto, superstar DJ Steve Aoki and veteran rockers Journey among the big-name acts.
11
High stakes hovercraft racing in the Nevada desert
Max Verstappen, Sergio Pérez, Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo prove they don't need a race circuit to compete – in fact, they don't even need wheels. The four F1 drivers enjoy a friendly race around the desert before making their way to the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
12
The Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit takes shape
The whole of Las Vegas is lit up and revelling in the attention as Formula 1's new circuit takes shape. With the famous Strip at its heart, the Grand Prix track takes the drivers on a tour of the spectacular sights of the city.
13
Unveiling the Neon Bull
The sky was the limit as the Neon Bull took centre stage, as the Vegas-inspired purple RB19 was hoisted to the ceiling for the big reveal. The chassis lights up with pink and yellow neon built into the bodywork, which will look amazing as it streaks through the Strip under floodlights. It's Oracle Red Bull Racing's third fan-designed livery of the season through the Make Your Mark campaign. Lindsay Palmer from the UK hit the jackpot when her design was picked from thousands of entries.
14
Ready for the Big Time: F1
Join Scott Speed as he looks forward to the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix and the last time F1 visited Sin City with the Caesars Palace Grand Prix in 1982. Plus he checks in with Daniel Ricciardo who’s made a superb comeback to the championship.
15
Dressed to impress
Yuki Tsunoda and his AlphaTauri AT04 rocked a new look as the Scuderia unveiled bodywork that takes its inspiration from the AlphaTauri x Brendan Monroe Las Vegas Capsule Collection. Monroe is an artist and muralist from California who brings a sophisticated street style to the AlphaTauri car. Meanwhile Tsunoda, Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson modelled their own choices of clothing from the new collection.
16
Daniel Ricciardo discovers Bono is a fan
Daniel Ricciardo has been busy. One of the most recognised drivers in the sport in the USA, the Australian kicked the week off with an appearance on late night TV on Jimmy Kimmel Live, where he talked about the camaraderie between the 20 F1 drivers and how being namechecked by Bono – who is in residence at The Sphere with U2 – was a "pinch me moment."
Las Vegas native Jimmy Kimmel said the hype in his hometown was building: "People in Las Vegas are very excited about about this. A lot of crazy things happen in Vegas, but they're particularly excited about this one."
He joked: "You've got to be careful about because, you know, on the Strip there are people walking along with margaritas and daiquiris that are like four-and-a-half feet tall!"
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