The Las Vegas Strip Circuit is a 6.2 km (3.85 mile) street track that runs past the casinos, around the Sphere and straight down Las Vegas Boulevard. With 17 corners and 50 laps, the race covers about 310 km.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Length | About 6.2 km / 3.85 miles |
| Laps | 50 |
| Corners | 17 |
| Lap record | 1:35.490 (Oscar Piastri, 2023) |
| First modern race | 2023 |
A lap in plain English
The lap starts at the permanent pit and paddock building on Harmon Avenue and Koval Lane, east of the Strip. The cars snake through a slow, tight left-hander and a series of corners before heading north along Koval Lane. A sweeping left takes them past the Sphere — a spectacular sight at night — and onto Sands Avenue, before they turn onto Las Vegas Boulevard itself.
The Strip straight is the highlight: cars run south past the Venetian, Caesars, Bellagio and Paris at more than 340 km/h. Heavy braking at the end of the long straights creates the main overtaking chances, before the cars turn back east along Harmon Avenue to complete the lap.
Why it's tricky
- Cold tyres. November nights in the desert can drop to around 10 °C (50 °F). Keeping tyres in their working window is a constant challenge.
- Low grip early. The public road surface is smooth and gains grip quickly through the weekend.
- Low-downforce setups. Teams trim wings for the straights, which makes cars nervous in the slow corners.
The Caesars Palace years (1981–82)
Formula 1 first raced in Las Vegas in 1981 on a temporary track in the car park of Caesars Palace. Alan Jones won the 1981 race and Michele Alboreto the 1982 race; both were season finales. The flat, repetitive layout and desert heat were unpopular with drivers and the event didn't last.
The return to the Strip (2023–today)
Formula 1 returned in 2023 with a race on the Strip itself, built around a permanent pit and paddock building. The first edition had a rough start — a loose drain cover damaged a car in first practice — but the race itself was one of the best of the season. Since then the event has become a fixture, with a contract running through 2027 and county approval for a decade of racing.