The prospect of a trilogy of F1 sprint races in the United States appears distant, as the Las Vegas Grand Prix organizers have ruled out the introduction of the format. With two of the six sprint races in the 2024 season already held in America, reigning champion Max Verstappen secured victories in both Miami and Austin, further solidifying his lead in the championship.
After a long time, F1 returned to Las Vegas last year for the first time since 1982. The event, which features the city’s iconic strip, has expanded for 2024 to include a Ferrari Challenge support race.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix holds a unique position as the only race directly organized by F1, which would theoretically make it easier to introduce a sprint race format. However, with track time being limited on the Las Vegas Strip circuit, the necessary changes to accommodate a sprint race are not currently on the organizers’ agenda.
While a short sprint race could bring additional excitement to the weekend, the Las Vegas street circuit already delivered record-breaking action last year with 99 overtakes, ensuring that Sunday’s Grand Prix will provide plenty of thrilling racing. This is particularly significant given the tight competition in this season’s F1 grid and the intense championship fight between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, with only three races left. When discussing the decision to forgo a sprint race, organizers highlighted what makes the Las Vegas event stand out.
However, due to the limited track time available on the Las Vegas Strip circuit, making the necessary adjustments to the weekend schedule for a sprint race is not currently feasible.
“We’re quite comfortable letting Austin and Miami keep the sprint because we’ve got so much more happening anyway and we’re in a really good place,” said F1 chief operating officer Emily Prazer.
“We have around 46 track openings; people don’t realize the complexity of that versus any other grand prix. Adding a sprint would also create a nervousness of ‘Can we fix the track if something were to happen fast enough?’
Las Vegas GP organisers are not interested in adding a sprint race to the schedule in the coming years.
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This weekend, Verstappen could clinch his fourth F1 title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. All he has to do is finish ahead of the McLaren’s Lando Norris. Verstappen made a crucial move towards clinching his fourth consecutive F1 title by winning the Brazilian Grand Prix, despite starting from 17th, extending his lead over the Britt to 62 points with three races still to go.
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Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
