Las Vegas Strip Circuit is a 6.201 km (3.853 miles) street circuit running down Las Vegas Boulevard, with 17 corners across a 50-lap race distance of 310.050 km. The race debuted in 2023 with a 23:00 local start, making it the only race on the calendar that begins close to midnight. Oscar Piastri holds the lap record at 1:32.608, set in 2024. F1 previously raced in Las Vegas with forgettable events in a Caesars Palace car park in 1981 and 1982.
The layout features a 1.9 km straight down Las Vegas Boulevard that produces top speeds exceeding 340 km/h, followed by a series of 90-degree corners shaped by the city’s grid street pattern. The Turn 1 braking zone after the main straight is the primary overtaking spot. Two DRS zones, on the main straight and through the casino section, reward straight-line speed. The Turn 14 hairpin provides another heavy braking opportunity. The cold desert night air, with temperatures dropping below 15 degrees Celsius after dark, makes tyre warm-up a critical challenge.
The visual spectacle is undeniable. Cars racing past the Sphere, the Venetian, and the Caesars Palace complex under full illumination creates images no other circuit can match. On 18 November 2023, Max Verstappen won the inaugural race, and the racing quality exceeded expectations. On 23 November 2024, George Russell took a dominant victory. The Saturday night format makes it a unique event on the sporting calendar, blending motorsport with the entertainment capital of the world.
The timezone is America/Los_Angeles at PST (UTC-8). The 23:00 local start translates to 07:00 GMT the following morning and 08:00 CET. European fans wake up to a Sunday morning race, which is an unusual but workable slot. Asian viewers get an afternoon or evening window. For the Americas, it is a Saturday night event. Check United States time and Las Vegas time for conversions.
November nights in Las Vegas are cold by racing standards. Track temperatures drop sharply after sunset, and the asphalt struggles to retain heat. Teams run their cars with maximum cooling closed off and focus on generating tyre temperature through aggressive setup choices. The cold conditions and slippery surface produced excellent racing in both 2023 and 2024, defying pre-season scepticism about the venue.
See the full race schedule and session times at the Las Vegas Grand Prix page.