George Russell and Carlos Sainz mentioned the Las Vegas Grand Prix ought to be adopted by an off weekend for Method 1, given the challenges posed by its race schedule.
The race in Las Vegas takes place at 10pm native time, operating till almost midnight on a timetable that represents a swing of roughly 12 hours in comparison with the European time zone the groups are arriving from. This 12 months it was additionally the primary of three consecutive race weekends, and with the paddock making its solution to Qatar for the subsequent spherical, Russell believes the most recent race may very well be given extra room on the calendar.
“Clearly, it’s not nice timing in any respect for the people who find themselves right here,” Russell mentioned. “However we’re 20 drivers, let’s say 4,000 individuals who do all of the F1 races collectively. And there’s tens of hundreds of thousands of people that watch at house.
“So I’d most likely say having it back-to-back with Qatar is the largest problem. If we’ve got every week off afterwards, I’d say that’s most likely the one factor realistically that might assist.”
Thursday and Friday’s operating in Vegas was introduced ahead by two hours in comparison with 2023 and Sainz says that made a distinction, however he nonetheless would additionally wish to see the race itself happen at an earlier time in addition to not be paired with different occasions.
“I feel it’s been a step ahead in comparison with final 12 months,” Sainz mentioned. “I really feel like final 12 months, F1, if something, was making an attempt a bit too arduous to placed on an excessive amount of of a present. It bought a bit an excessive amount of away from Method 1 and an excessive amount of into Vegas model. I really feel like this 12 months we’ve simply been extra regular, doing our personal factor, and it’s been successful. It simply exhibits the Method 1 product works and also you don’t must strive too arduous.
“I’d convey the race a pair hours earlier if I might. I feel it might assist everybody within the paddock, everybody that does the job on this sport. It might put everybody in a more healthy, higher temper by way of the weekend.
“So a few hours earlier for the race and timings and never a back-to-back with Qatar. That’s what I’d ask everybody as the subsequent step. For the remaining — nice circuit to placed on an excellent race, nice for overtaking, difficult monitor. I wouldn’t change something, simply these two particulars. And I feel the whole lot might be higher.”
Lewis Hamilton additionally acknowledged the challenges that crew members face with the schedule, however he was stuffed with reward for the occasion delivered in Las Vegas in its second 12 months.
“The back-to-back will not be the best,” Hamilton mentioned. “It’s massively difficult for everybody right here, and notably for the people who work within the garages which might be on their toes taking the automobile to items, packing it up and transport it over, and so they received’t get a variety of relaxation. So for them, it’s undoubtedly the toughest; however they adore it and [I feel[ when you have been to ask them to vary it, they might do that 10 occasions over.
“However the precise race is completely improbable. It’s such an awesome occasion. They’ve actually, actually accomplished a mega job this 12 months. So I can’t wait to come back again subsequent 12 months.”
Subsequent 12 months’s Las Vegas Grand Prix is already confirmed as going down on Nov. 22, once more as the primary race in a tripleheader of weekends additionally that includes Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
