F1 coming to Vegas !

[Mark Sedenquist]

https://youtu.be/yElrDlak0Rs?si=ZKErVv2dV5XiGfcP

That is a cool video! I tried to drive some of the route yesterday afternoon about 3 pm. Big mistake. It took me about 2 hours to go four miles -- Finally had to bail to the west on Spring Mountain.

Mark

[Mark Sedenquist]

If ever there was a city who is capable of figuring out the inside track--it is Las Vegas. Lots of teething issues arose this first time. But we're going to figure it out and next year will be better and bigger than ever.

The biggest impediment to this GP being successful to Las Vegas residents was the lack of "free or inexpensive options." If you think about Las Vegas, there have always been really expensive options for spending money on lodging, food, entertainment, etc., but there have also been free or in expensive ways to experience the grandeur of Las Vegas. The fountain show at Bellagio, the wonder and beauty of the lobby areas at Caesars Palace, Paris, Cosmopolitan, etc., and Bellagio, and the Venice canals above the casino floor at the Venetian.

We and by that I mean the collective business ensemble that enables Las Vegas to exist will lean on F1 to provide some of that for locals and visitors alike.

This is a city where most of us view Las Vegas as work-in-progress and one that we are all involved in creating. When F1 embraces that concept, I think the future is incredibly bright for F1 in Nevada.

Mark

[Southwest Dave]

I wonder if it would of been better if they had developed the track close to the Strip but not as part of it ? They could of still used the 'Glitz and Glamour' of it all to create a spectacular event, but everyone (race fan or not) could of still visited and enjoyed nights out along the Strip with the free entertainments as well as the business side of it. As it is, it will bring in a lot of race fans over race weekend, but alienate other would be visitors.

Thanks Craig for the nice drive through video.

[Southwest Dave]

As they continue to clear up in Vegas after the Grand Prix the season ended this weekend in Abu Dahbi with another victory for Max Verstappen. With drivers and constructors title already concluded before LV all that was left to settle is which team would grab second spot. It was a close call between Mercedes and Ferrari but despite an interesting tactic deployed by Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) it was Mercedes who grabbed second spot by just 3 points. (Good result as it was classed as a pretty awful season for them)

Just over 90 days before it starts over for the 2024 season with testing to start in mid February and car reveals likely to start late January.

Dave

[Mark Sedenquist]

..but despite an interesting tactic deployed by Charles Leclerc..

I tried to look this up -- but not sure I saw what you referenced mentioned in the post-race coverage. Perhaps a bit of narrative is needed here?

And here is a first look at some of the trees that will be back in front of the Bellagio.

Mark

[Southwest Dave]

I tried to look this up -- but not sure I saw what you referenced mentioned in the post-race coverage. Perhaps a bit of narrative is needed here?

And here is a first look at some of the trees that will be back in front of the Bellagio.

Mark

OK I will try. Leclerc (Ferrari) was 2nd when Perez (Red bull) overtook Russel (Mercedes) into 3rd which would of swung second place in the constructors to Ferrari. The problem was that Perez had been handed a 5 second penalty for causing a collision, so all Russel had to do was keep within 5 seconds of Perez to claim 3rd place for him and 2nd place in the constructors title for Mercedes. Leclerc, while driving at 200mph, worked out that the only way Perez could possibly open the 5s gap with so few laps was to slow down and let Perez catch up to within 1 second of him to give Perez DRS down the straight to help increase his speed. Perez was on fresher tyres so when he caught up with him he actually went straight past him into 2nd place. Lerclerc now needed to stay within a 5 second gap and hope that Russel fell outside the 5 second window putting Perez between them and gaining the points needed, but the plan failed as Russel kept the gap to Perez to 3.9 seconds meaning he finished 3rd, ahead of Perez by 1.1 seconds after the penalty was applied.
End result with penalty 1st Verstappen 2nd Leclerc 3rd Russel 4th Perez.


The result could of been swung by their team mates had Sainz finished ahead of Hamilton but he had an awful weekend and didn't finish in the points and Hamilton picked up 2 points.

[Mark Sedenquist]

End result with penalty 1st Verstappen 2nd Leclerc 3rd Russel 4th Perez.

Wow! That was more complicated than I expected -- but thanks for the detail.

Mark

[Mark Sedenquist]

Megan and I drove the Las Vegas Strip today.

With rare exception--all of the F1 racing gear has been removed from the Strip. The lanes are still a mess at Harmon and the Strip --- hard to tell what's going on there.

But all of the race course lighting, k-rails and etc. is long gone.

Mark

[Southwest Dave]

Thanks for the update. I was looking for a follow up on how succesful it was and any plans there might be moving forwards. Not much to report just yet with the overall success (or failure) on the financial side of things not likely to be known until well into January. Still a fair bit of noise about how to staisfy the smaller local traders who appear to have lost out on much revenue. The pit lane buildings are likely to be used for other events throughout the year to bring in more revenue in between race meetings. Now they have the first one out of the way they are looking to make things run smoother going forwards.

Here is there time table of local traffic disruption as they continue to dismantle.

Dave.