The highly-anticipated Las Vegas GP is almost upon us, with less than a week to go for its start. Sadly for the F1 authorities, the closer the race gets, the more backlash they are receiving. Apart from the architectural makeover, the sport’s authorities are now being called out for not planning the race per the geography of the Sin City.
For starters, the biggest issue that went unchecked by the planners was the weather. With temperatures plummeting down to an average of 6° C (43° F), getting enough temperature into the tires will be a challenge. Should the drivers be able to do so, maintaining the temperature would be an even bigger challenge, given there are three fast straights and not enough fast corners on the track.
Ticket prices for the Las Vegas GP are plummeting 📉
Cheapest Tickets On 10/8
Thursday: $385
Friday: $825
Saturday: $1,645Current Get-In Prices
Thursday: $162 (-58%)
Friday: $312 (-62%)
Saturday: $1,087 (-34%)Hotel prices have dropped 58%, too.
(Ticket prices via @TickPick) pic.twitter.com/UfxbpRK8w8
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) November 8, 2023
Ross Brawn, the current F1 Managing Director, even admitted to them not considering the temperature of the city when planning the Las Vegas GP. Additionally, the sky-high prices of each ticket have made it nearly impossible for fans wanting to experience the grand spectacle under the lights in Las Vegas to be able to afford them, despite the recent cut.
Another quirk for those who can afford to witness the race in person would be the positioning of the pitlane exit. The exit aligns with the racing line, right before a speed trap, laying the base for potential havoc on the track. With so many botched aspects around the race, fans took to X to mock F1 for their poor planning.
Fans relentlessly mock F1 over the gross mismanagement of Las Vegas GP
After the harrowing incidences of the Qatar GP, F1 will soon see an entirely different weather around it when racing begins in Las Vegas. However, it won’t be a pleasant sight either, with the ‘pinnacle of motorsports’ not anticipating the correct weather during a Fall night in the US.
“Pinnacle of motorsport” didn’t consider temperatures in the middle of a desert😭💀
— FwdSlashF1 (@FwdSlashF1) November 10, 2023
Yes, it’s wild that Formula 1 didn’t realize Las Vegas would be cold, but I’ll raise you: several F1-affiliated folks I talked to still thought Vegas would be Qatar levels of hot… during the USGPhttps://t.co/FOqWZc8uOf
— Elizabeth Blackstock (@eliz_blackstock) November 10, 2023
F1 organizers: “Las Vegas is in desert so that means it’s hot over there, right? pic.twitter.com/xGAgHnDYJK
— A ☀️ (@formulayna) November 10, 2023
Some fans called out the curious nature of the pitlane exit, which is located on a 180° bend.
Cold tyres, cold weather, and a 180° bend this is going to be the funniest thing to ever happen in the sport https://t.co/UNttxXgclh
— kd🚀 (@mercsogyny) November 10, 2023
Meanwhile, some fans called out the greed of the authorities as one wrote- “When money clouds your judgement.”
When money clouds your judgement https://t.co/G5DK6xzCjY
— Bale. (@nabilimran95) November 11, 2023
honestly Ross Brawn admitting that F1 has not even for a second considered the low temperatures during A NIGHT RACE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NEVADA DESERT when planning out the Las Vegas GP is not at all surprising to me like we all know they’re doing it for the cash, they don’t give
— Teo (@__formulateo__) November 11, 2023
With hundreds of millions invested in the race, it would be crucial for F1 to have a successful race in Las Vegas, or else the sports biggest spectacle might quickly become its biggest fail.