The 2023 F1 champion Max Verstappen has made it clear that he is not a fan of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. “I just always want to focus on the performance side of things, I don’t like all the things around it anyway,” he said in a pre race weekend interview. The Las Vegas Grand Prix may be one of the most extravagant races on the calendar this year but there are mixed feeling on the event. Verstappen has been the biggest opponent of the event.
Verstappen Continued His Thoughts on the Event in Las Vegas
“For me, you can skip this,” said the 2023 World Champion. “We are just standing up there, looking like a clown. I mean, yeah…Some people like the show a bit more, I don’t like it at all. I grew up just looking at the performance side of things and that’s how I see it as well. So for me, I like to be in Vegas, but not so much for racing. We are not a stakeholder, so we just go with it. They decide what they do, right? I would do the same if I was the owner, I wouldn’t listen to the drivers. It’s my sport, I would do with it what I want if that would be the case.”
Others like 7 time champion Lewis Hamilton had a more positive outlook on the event. “Driving in the nightlights I’m going to feel like I’m in the Casino movie! It’s pretty cool. People are going to be coming from all over for the Grand Prix. It’s great that each city here in America gives a different atmosphere but the one thing is they’ve amazing fans, hardcore sporting fans. It’s such a huge place and there’s something for everyone here. If you want to be in the mountains, you want to be in countryside, you want to be in the city… You’ve got New York which I think is the coolest city ever and Vegas which is kind of a big playground for adults.”
Race Preview
Las Vegas Grand Prix
Date November 16th-19th 2023
Las Vegas Strip, United States
The track for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix runs along the famous Las Vegas Strip. The 17-turn circuit is 3.853 miles/6.201 kilometers long.
View a full lap on the circuit below:
Practice 1: Thursday, Nov. 16, 11:30 p.m. ET
Practice 2: Friday, Nov. 17, 3 a.m. ET
Practice 3: Friday, Nov. 17, 11:30 p.m. ET
Qualifying: Saturday, Nov. 18, 3 a.m. ET
Race: Sunday, Nov. 19, 1 a.m. ET