Las Vegas Grand Prix explain strange Saturday start time

Las Vegas due to join F1 calendar in 2023 — Photo: © LAT Images

Las Vegas Grand Prix

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Las Vegas Grand Prix explain strange Saturday start time

The race will start at 22:00 local on a Saturday

Ewan Gale

Friday 23 September 2022 19:55

The decision to hold the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix at 22:00 local time has been labelled as a "compromise" to appease fans both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

F1 will race past the world-famous hotels lining 'The Strip' for the first time next November 16-18 as the event forms a season-ending double-header with Abu Dhabi.

But with the Nevada city in the Pacific timezone, lights out will be at 01:00 ET and 07:00 BST, leading fans to question the start time on social media after the F1 calendar was published.

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Explaining the decision, Las Vegas Grand Prix CEO Renee Wilm said: “That was actually a compromise to make sure we are broadcasting at a time when our European fans can get up with a cup of coffee and watch the race six, seven in the morning, very similar to how we [in the US] watch the European races.

"So that was actually a very important component of planning out our sequencing for the race weekend.”

Las Vegas GP looking at "affordable" fan area

MGM Resorts CEO Bill Hornbuckle revealed last month there is a plan in place to buy $20-25million worth of tickets from F1, with packages set to retail for up to $100,000.

This led to fears the ordinary fan would be priced out of attending the event.

But Wilm revealed an "affordable" general admission area in planning: “We are looking to program the hospitality in such a way where we are appealing to our legacy fans but while also creating these new opportunities for the new fans.”

F1 commercial managing director Brandon Snow added: “We need to keep that premium-ness to it because at the end of the day it is the pinnacle of motorsports, but we need to make it more accessible.”