Formula 1 returns to Las Vegas more than 40 years later

The Formula 1 season is about to conclude and the ten teams and twenty drivers are already prepared to compete in the penultimate race. This weekend, the Las Vegas Grand Prix will be held on the urban circuit of what is known as Sin City. It is the third to be held in North American territory this year, after the United States Grand Prix (Austin, Texas) and the Miami Grand Prix (Florida).

The celebration of the Las Vegas Grand Prix is one of the great novelties of this season. After more than 40 years without hosting a Formula 1 race, fans of what is known as the premier motorsport category, will once again enjoy overtaking and sporting disputes between the drivers on the city's urban circuit.

The organization made public the schedule of the grand prize. The three free practice sessions will take place between Thursday afternoon and Friday. On Saturday the qualifying session will be held in which the pole position and the grid position from which each of the drivers will start will be determined. On Sunday, the race will be held at 10:00 p.m. PST, under the characteristic lighting of the Las Vegas buildings.

The runner-up, at stake

Despite the incontestable triumph of Dutch driver, Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing), this season - he was proclaimed champion several races ago - it remains to be determined who will be the runner-up.

Right now, the Mexican Sergio Checo Pérez (Red Bull Racing) depends on himself, since he occupies second position in the World Championship with 258 points. He has the ever present threat of British driver, Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), - seven-time Formula 1 champion - who is positioned in third place with 226 points. The Spaniards Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) and Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) and the British Lando Norris (McLaren) no longer have a chance of finishing as the runner-up.

In the last race - Brazilian Grand Prix -, Verstappen won his 17th victory of the season. The podium was completed by Norris and Alonso.

An investment of 400 million dollars

Bringing Formula 1 back to Las Vegas has required a very high investment for Liberty Media, the company that owns the automobile category. Its chief financial officer, Brian Wilding, estimated in August that the total expense between the construction of the paddock and the work to structure the track would be around $400 million. However, forecasts indicate that this investment will be recovered and a profit of around 800 million dollars will be obtained.

Where no expense was spared was at the welcome ceremony for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The organizers hired artists such as Kylie Minogue (Can't Get You out of My Head) J Balvin (Mi Gente), John Legend (All of Me) and the disc jockey Tiesto (producer of the song Ritual with Rita Ora), to perform their best songs and, thus, entertain those present at the gala. All this accompanied by a light show and fireworks.