F1 and the organizers of the Las Vegas Grand Prix have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to make the event spectacular. They were hoping for a good turnout in the audience, however, recent reports suggest that this could be one of the least attended Grand Prix.
The latest reports suggest that 105,000 people are expected to attend the Grand Prix. This is considerably much lower than the audience they received in Austin where there were 440,000 people present throughout the weekend. If the number drops even lower, it could threaten to become the lowest attendance for an F1 Grand Prix.
If the Las Vegas Grand Prix turns out to be the least attended Grand Prix, it will be a nightmare scenario for F1 and the organizers. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent in preparation for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. If they are not able to get this money back in revenue, we may not see another Las Vegas Grand Prix in 2024.
IT’S RACE WEEK FOR THE LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX ♥♠♣♦ pic.twitter.com/r3jporx9Lo
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 13, 2023
There could be a couple of reasons why the attendance is low for the Las Vegas GP. One is obviously the steep prices of the tickets. However, last week, the organizers dropped these prices in order to try and get more fans to attend. We are yet to see if this measure works.
The other aspect is the race. True racing fans will not enjoy the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The layout of the track itself is too simple compared to the tracks we are used to seeing. The drivers themselves will hate driving on this layout. The event is organized just to make the sport look glamorous underneath the Las Vegas Skyline and in front of casinos and hotels.
What other records is the Las Vegas GP expected to break?
The Las Vegas Grand Prix has broken 1 other record and could break one more. With the race scheduled to start at 22:00 local time, it will be the latest start time in F1 history. The late start time has been set to make it easier for viewers in Europe to view the race. They have even scheduled the race to start on Saturday so the viewers in the UK and Europe can watch it on Sunday morning and not on Monday morning when they will be rushing for work.
The other record it could break is for the coldest race in F1 history. The temperature for the Las Vegas Grand Prix is expected to drop down to 4 degrees Celsius. The coldest Grand Prix in F1 history took place in 1978 in Canada where the temperature dropped to 5 degrees Celsius. So if the temperature does drop to 4 degrees, it will be F1’s new coldest Grand Prix. If the race was taking place during the day, the temperatures would be reasonable.
What can we expect from the Las Vegas Grand Prix? 🔍 pic.twitter.com/oTp48HlSgd
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 7, 2023
The low temperatures at night would make it challenging for the drivers to keep the tires warm during the race. Especially during the start and while coming out of the pit lane, it would be like driving on ice. It is going to be interesting to see how the Las Vegas Grand Prix will turn out. If it becomes a failure, it will be an embarrassment for F1 and the organizers. We might not see them host too many races in the US after this season.
