“Likely to See Speeds the Same as Monza”: Ex-F1 Driver Drops Major Expectations for New Las Vegas GP Track

“Likely to See Speeds the Same as Monza”: Ex-F1 Driver Drops Major Expectations for New Las Vegas Grand Prix Track

Ex-F1 driver and Sky Sports Pundit, Karun Chandhok has set massive expectations from the inaugural Las Vegas GP. The ex-HRT driver compared the track to the iconic Monza on his official X account.

Chandhok wrote, “Just did a few laps on the Vegas track on the F1 2023 game. Didn’t appreciate how fast the layout actually was until I had a go! Going to be so tricky with low downforce and low temperatures. Cold air into the brake ducts will make confidence on the brakes a challenge!”

Monza has been dubbed the ‘Temple of Speed‘. The long straights and low-downforce profile of the track allows the F1 cars to run at an average speed of 164.267 mph. Naturally, The iconic Italian circuit is a fan-favorite and loved by the drivers and teams alike.

After getting a few laps into the official F1 game, Chandhok revealed that he got ‘Monza vibes‘ from the Las Vegas track and conceded that he was quick to dismiss the circuit but has changed his mind since. That being said, during the buildup of the race weekend, the Las Vegas GP is in the news for all the wrong reasons.

Las Vegas GP on the verge of cancellation despite $500,000,000 investment by F1?

The preparations for the imminent Las Vegas GP have rubbed the locals the wrong way. The residents of the area near the iconic Vegas strip have been complaining about their pedestrian lives coming to a halt because of high traffic and restrictions due to proximity to the venue.

The protests from locals and Union workers alike has also had an impact on ticket prices. According to Sport Business Analyst, Joe Pompliano, there has been a 60% drop in ticket prices and a 58% drop in hotel prices, since.

Organizing the Las Vegas GP is the single biggest project undertaken by the sport. Liberty Media, as the commercial rights holders of F1, have reportedly invested $500,000,000 into the race. Naturally, the pressure is on, as this could be a make or break moment for the sport’s presence in America.

The last time F1 ventured to Las Vegas was a flop. In 1982, the flying circus traveled to Las Vegas for the Caesars Palace Grand Prix. However, it was cancelled there after it could attract only a paltry amount of spectators.

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Karun Chandhok Las Vegas GP

About the author

Anirban Aly Mandal

Anirban Aly Mandal is an F1 writer at The SportsRush, with over 1000 articles under his belt, Anirban's love for F1 started when he discovered a copy of F1 2014 on his computer. With over half a decade's worth of time spent religiously following the sport, he’s dived deep into the world of motorsports. However, Anirban's expertise goes beyond just writing - he has also written several academic papers focused on the domain of motorsports and the law. His passion for the sport is so immense that he aspires to work as a legal advisor in the most prestigious racing series in the world someday. When it comes to Formula 1, Anirban finds great pleasure in re-watching classic races and idolizes the likes of Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, and Sebastian Vettel. His top picks include Brazil '91, Silverstone '92, and Germany '19. Outside of the sport, Anirban is an avid sim racer, often found racing on titles like Assetto Corsa, F1 22, and Automobilista. Apart from his interests in gaming, Anirban has a keen interest in philosophy, literature and music.

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