LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Las Vegas Grand Prix is back in town and that means a lot of fun events but also potential traffic headaches.
Here at Channel 13, we want to make sure you have all the information you need to get through the week, whether you are a Formula 1 race fan or not. So here are some quick hits to break down what you can expect.
Will any F1 champions be crowned in Las Vegas this year?
Yes and no.
When it comes to the Constructors' Championship, McLaren locked up the title at the Singapore Grand Prix last month. That's thanks to dominant performances by drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. It's the team's 10th overall title and their first back-to-back championships since 1991.
When it comes to the Drivers' Championships, the race is too close to call just yet. Going into the race, there are three drivers that can still mathematically win. Norris currently leads the pack with 390 points and teammate Piastri currently sits in second with 366 points. Red Bull's Max Verstappen is in third with 341. The winner of each race earns 25 points and there is still a chance that Piastri and Verstappen can catch Norris.
This week, Norris said Las Vegas is not the team's best race.
"I think it was our worst race last year so I'm not really looking forward to it. We've been trying to work quite hard on improving those things. We know Mercedes were incredibly strong there last year, as well as Red Bull and Ferraris. I think we were the bottom of those four," Norris said. "We'll wait and see. Obviously, we've improved a lot of things this year so I'm not going to be too negative about it. I think there's plenty to look forward to. We know Abu Dhabi and Qatar are the ones we are looking forward to. Las Vegas just a little bit less because they've been probably some of our weakest races over the last two years so let's wait and see."
All of that being said, the F1 Academy will declare a champion here in Las Vegas since it is their season finale. It is a two-way battle between Mercedes driver Doriane Pin, who has 151 points, and Ferrari driver Maya Weug, who has 142 points.
Will they still race if it's raining?
Yes and no.
It depends on how heavy the rain is and how it affects the track. When there is moisture on the track, it reduces the grip and traction that cars have. While teams can use special wet tires from Pirelli, which displace water to try to help the vehicles from hydroplaning, there can still be challenges.
Rain can also affect visibility on the track and it could become a safety hazard, especially if they are also navigating the spray from other drivers' vehicles.
If track conditions become too hazardous, the FIA can delay the race.
Drivers said driving on the Las Vegas circuit in the rain would be a challenge.
"It'll be a very spicy session for sure. All the drivers have never driven here yet [in the wet], so I think it'll be interesting who's going to adapt quickly to that condition," said Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda. "Also, in these very cold conditions with intermediate, the [tire] blankets are not as warm as before, so I think it'll be very tricky even to generate temperature."
"This is probably the slipperiest track that we go to. In terms of the grip we had in the last couple of years, getting the tires working here was very, very tough in these cool conditions," said Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton. "Obviously, these tires have a very narrow working window and that would be even worse when it's on inters or extreme wets. But I'm down for the challenge if we're faced with it."
What does the forecast look like this weekend?
What do I need to know about weather if I'm going to the race?
According to the Las Vegas Grand Prix's website, the event may be delayed, postponed or canceled following lightning, strong winds, or other serious weather-related circumstances. In the event of a weather-related evacuation or relocation, they ask fans to follow instructions from staff members and law enforcement.
"We [also] encourage all guests attending the Event to download the F1 Las Vegas app and turn on push notifications and follow us on social media @f1lasvegas for announcements concerning weather delays."
Are there any restrictions to items I can bring to the Strip and/or the race?
If you are going to the Strip, Las Vegas police have a few restrictions that you need to know about.
No drones or glass bottles will be allowed on the Strip from:
- Thursday, Nov. 20 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 a.m.
- Friday, Nov. 21 from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 22 from 11 a.m. to 4 a.m.
There are additional restrictions in place if you are going to the race. You can see those below.
Are there still tickets available for the race?
As of Wednesday afternoon, race officials say there are still a limited amount of tickets available.
However, Las Vegas Grand Prix officials posted a statement online saying their website is currently experiencing issues due to a global Cloudflare outage.
What about traffic around the Las Vegas Strip?
There will be different types of road closures throughout the week, depending on when crews close roads and re-open them for practice sessions, qualifying, and the race.
We have all of those listed for you in the article below. If it is a warm track, that means crews are in the process of shutting down roads and closures will start to be implemented. If it is a hot track, that means sessions are in progress and roads will be closed.
What if I take the bus?
From Tuesday, Nov. 18 through Nov. 24, five RTC bus routes will operate under special schedules due to race-related road closures and detours.
- 119 Simmons/Koval
- 202 Flamingo
- 203 Spring Mountain/Desert Inn/Lamb
- Centennial Express (CX)
- Deuce on the Strip
RTC officials say riders should check your updated route schedule before traveling to avoid delays or missed connections. You can view the special schedules in the transit app or online by clicking the link here.
Are there any free events that I can check out?
Yes. We got a roundup of free or low-cost events that you can check out by reading the article below.
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