Formula One set for Las Vegas return after four-decade absence

Las Vegas is set for its first Formula One race in four decades after it was announced that the city will host a night-time Grand Prix along its iconic strip in 2023. The race returns to the Nevada city for the first time since 1982 and will become the third Grand Prix in the United States on next year's F1 calendar, alongside Miami and Austin. "This is an incredible moment for Formula 1 that demonstrates the huge appeal and growth of our sport with a third race in the US," Stefano Domenicali, the president of Formula One, said. "Las Vegas is a destination known around the world for its excitement, hospitality, thrills, and of course, the famous Strip. There is no better place for Formula One to race than in the global entertainment capital of the world." The Las Vegas Grand Prix's 6.12km track will see drivers speed past landmarks such as the Bellagio Fountains and Caesars Palace. There will be 50 laps with three main straights and 14 corners. "Iconic Las Vegas and Formula 1, the pinnacle of motorsport, is the perfect marriage of speed and glamour," said Greg Maffei, president of F1's owners Liberty Media. Las Vegas twice hosted F1 races in 1981 and 1982 on the car park of Caesar's Palace after Watkins Glen in upstate New York lost its rights after two decades. The race is expected to be staged in the the second half of November, possibly to coincide with Thanksgiving weekend in America, and could start as late as 10pm local time. The race will also defer from recent F1 tradition by taking place on a Saturday. The sport previously struggled to make inroads in the US, particularly after an infamous six car race at Indianapolis in 2005 damaged its reputation. But its popularity has been surging. The Miami Grand Prix debuts this year on May 8 while the United States Grand Prix takes place at Austin, Texas on October 23.

Formula One set for Las Vegas return after four-decade absence

Race will be the third in US in 2023 alongside Miami and Austin