NEED TO KNOW: The most important facts, stats and trivia ahead of the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix

It’s time for the final triple-header sequence of the season to begin with the spectacular Las Vegas Grand Prix night race. Need to Know is your all-in-one guide for the weekend ahead through statistics, driving pointers, strategy tips and plenty more. You can also keep track of how fans have voted using our popular F1 Play predictor game.

FP1 and FP2 at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit will take place on the evening of Thursday, November 21, followed by final practice and qualifying on Friday, November 22, and then the 50-lap Grand Prix itself on Saturday, November 23.

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Vital statistics

First Grand Prix – 2023
Track Length – 6.201km
Lap record – 1m 35.490s, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, 2023
Most pole positions – Charles Leclerc (1)
Most wins – Max Verstappen (1)
Trivia – F1 previously staged two races in Las Vegas in the early 1980s under the Caesars Palace Grand Prix moniker
Pole run to Turn 1 braking point – 150 metres
Safety Car probability – 100%
Virtual Safety Car probability – 100%
Pit stop time loss – 20.5 seconds (including 2.5s stop)

FAN VIEW: Max Verstappen is all-but world champion once again, and 39% of early F1 Play voters back him to set the fastest time in qualifying in Las Vegas. McLaren’s Lando Norris – likely the only man who could catch the Red Bull driver – is supported by 27%.

The driver’s verdict

Jolyon Palmer, former Renault F1 driver: The track comprises long straights and slower corners. The long straights will necessitate slashing the downforce levels, so the cars will feel inherently skittish before you even factor in the cool temperatures. Building and maintaining tyre temperatures will also be tricky.

Turn 6 into 7 is one of the toughest braking zones, accelerating through a long left-hander before hitting the brakes for 7 – it’ll be easy to lock the inside front there.

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Turn 12 is also crucial as it punctuates two long straights. Finding the balance between braking well and preparing the exit is tough, and mistakes here are punishing.

Having good braking ability and traction will be the key and, in general, corner exits will be crucial onto the long straights.

ONBOARD: Charles Leclerc’s 2023 Pirelli Pole Position Award lap at the Las Vegas Grand Prix

Las Vegas GP pole-sitters

2023 – Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

Las Vegas GP winners

2023 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

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FAN VIEW: Nearly half of all F1 Play voters are backing Norris to keep the title fight going for at least another week, tipping the McLaren man to take the win on the Vegas Strip. Verstappen is backed by 30% of voters, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc a distant third choice.

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Tyre and strategy insight

“The main challenge on the tyre front will be warm-up, especially during qualifying and for the front axle in particular,” reads Pirelli’s preview pack ahead of the weekend.

“Drivers will have to be careful to bring the tyres up to temperature without overworking them, avoiding any lock-ups at the heaviest braking points, particularly at the end of the longest straights, along which the tyres will suffer a further reduction in surface temperature.

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“Furthermore, low temperatures lead to a reduction in grip and that can cause increased graining. These factors could lead to a speeding up of the wear process, which suggests a two-stop strategy, which was in fact the most popular choice last year.

“However, a one-stop can still be quite competitive, especially if the driver gradually brings the tyres up to temperature, prolonging its life over a long stint.

“Because of the difficulty in warm-up, pitting early to try and make up places with an undercut is not very efficient and in fact, on paper, going longer is a better choice.”

FAN VIEW: Winner in Mexico, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz is seen via F1 Play as a likely contender to finish on the podium in Nevada. After an excellent season, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri is also well supported, as is Mercedes’ George Russell.

Current form

A breathless weekend in Brazil saw the title race swing one way and then the other, but both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships are still up for grabs as the final triple-header sequence begins under the Las Vegas lights.

Max Verstappen is now 62 points clear of Lando Norris after that magical Sao Paulo triumph, with McLaren 36 points ahead of Ferrari and a further 13 points up on Red Bull, who sat at the top of the standings for so long.

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With championship points permutations in play, it looks set to be another multi-team scrap for honours at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, where a Ferrari claimed pole position and a Red Bull victory in the Grand Prix last season.

Indeed, McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull are all recent winners and will be pushing for more this weekend, but can Mercedes also get themselves back in the mix after their bouncing issues (particularly on Lewis Hamilton’s side) at Interlagos?

Meanwhile, Alpine’s spectacular double podium last time out highlights the importance of maximising opportunities when they arise given their leap from P9 to P6 in the standings – a position Haas and RB will be looking to grab before Abu Dhabi.

FAN VIEW: After his ninth-place finish in Brazil, Liam Lawson is fancied on F1 Play to score points for the second race in a row, as is his RB colleague Yuki Tsunoda. Following their podiums in Brazil, the Alpine duo of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly are also picking up votes again.

Race Highlights: 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix

Iconic moment

It’s only been on the calendar for a year but the Las Vegas Grand Prix provided plenty of action and drama in that inaugural 2023 race – none more so than Charles Leclerc’s stunning last-lap pass on Sergio Perez.

Relive the moment in the video player below...

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2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix: All the angles of Leclerc’s sensational last lap pass on Perez

Elsewhere in Las Vegas

There’s more activity taking place this weekend as part of the wider Sustainability Strategy that Formula 1 introduced in 2019, which includes the goal of being Net Zero by 2030, leaving a legacy of positive change and creating a more diverse sport that reflects the world in which we race.

👪 Community Day

The Las Vegas Grand Prix is engaging with fans in the local area, with the event’s first Community Day taking place on Wednesday. More than 500 students will visit Grand Prix Plaza for a behind the scenes look. There is also a free Fan Experience taking place on Friday and Saturday.

🎫 Extraordinary Locals ticket giveaways

Over the past six months, LVGP have surprised extraordinary locals making exceptional contributions in the community with tickets to the race. Over 600 tickets have been given to locals, including educators, Make-A-Wish patients, small business owners and unsung heroes of the community.

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🎓 Graduates on the Grid

Eleven STEM students from UNLV’s College of Engineering will be taking part in Q&A sessions with the Ferrari, Williams and Sauber drivers. The students are all members of the Rebel Racing team that build and race their own vehicles.

🥗 Food donations

As part of the positive impact on the local community, non-perishable foods unused across the race weekend will be donated to several local charities, including Three Square and the After Market food banks.