Why is F1 Las Vegas GP 2024 on a Saturday?
F1 next heads to the famous Sin City strip for the second edition of the Las Vegas Grand Prix and round 22 of the 2024 season.
Max Verstappen is on the cusp of a fourth successive world championship after his masterful drive in the wet at the last race in Brazil. With a 62-point advantage over Lando Norris with three races remaining, the Dutchman can clinch the title in Vegas if he finishes above the McLaren driver.
Lewis Hamilton will be eyeing a strong showing after a weekend to forget in Sao Paulo, as his time as a Mercedes driver nears its end before his 2025 move to Ferrari.
Verstappen won last year's inaugural race in Vegas, when Charles Leclerc claimed second place on the last lap with an overtake on Sergio Perez.
See below for all the key information ahead of the race in Las Vegas :
All times GMT
Friday 22 November
Saturday 23 November
Sunday 24 November
Last year's race in Vegas was the first F1 grand prix not to be held on a Sunday in 38 years.
In a bid to ensure as many viewers as possible watch the race, it is held on a Saturday night so fans in Europe can watch on Sunday morning.
The fact it is a night race means that if it was held on Sunday night in Vegas, fans would have to watch at the inconvenient and unsociable time of Monday morning. The race would unquestionably lose viewers.
F1 was always keen to host the race on the Sin City strip at night, with vibrant neon lights aplenty.
Why is it as late as 10pm local time? If it was a few hours earlier, it would be in the middle of the night for fans in Europe, similar to the 4am start time for the Australian Grand Prix.
Saturday night is also the traditional slot for all the big sporting events in Vegas, usually big boxing or UFC fights at the MGM Grand Garden Arena or T-Mobile Arena.
The organisers have made one change for 2024: qualifying has been brought forward two hours to 10pm local time, with last year's midnight slot deemed too late even for Vegas hours.
ROUND 22 - LAS VEGAS
Las Vegas Street Circuit - 21-23 November
ROUND 23 - QATAR (sprint race)
Lusail International Circuit, Lusail - 29 November - 1 December
ROUND 24 - ABU DHABI
Yas Marina Circuit - 6-8 December
