Driving the new F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit
What’s Las Vegas like to drive? Pietro Fittipaldi, the Haas F1 reserve who has taken on the track in the team’s simulator, guides us round a lap of the dazzling new 3.8-mile circuit
Turn 1
There’ll be some good action going into the first turn on the race start because it’s so wide – now would be the time to overtake. After slamming on the brakes at just over 200mph at T1, it will be about getting decent traction through the following corners for the best exit on to the straight.
Turn 3
You accelerate through 2, 3 and 4, while skimming the wall, then have the first DRS zone from T4 into T5, meaning the lap’s opening exchanges could be action-packed each time round.
Turn 5
Turn 5 is a standard 90-degree corner – braking from 200mph before the turn. There are going to be some good opportunities for overtaking, but if the car ahead takes the right line it will be possible to defend.
Turn 6, 7 & 8
We then sweep through 6, 7 and 8 – it’s going to be pretty difficult to pass through 6, because you brake on the inside of the track but end up on the outside to make the turn-in. This section is tight from here on – very similar to Singapore.
Turn 9
Here the field circles round the eye-catching Las Vegas Sphere – I think the scenery is going to be a little distracting for the drivers! Provided your tyres are in a decent condition, a clean exit is crucial for the next part of the track, which is fast.
Turn 12
Because of the flowing Turns 10 and 11, Turn 12 is a great place for overtaking and it has a very open braking zone. You reach almost 200mph before slowing for the corner. You’ll see a mix of approaches here, with some people divebombing to get past, taking a risk due to the run-off available.
Turn 13
This is the second DRS zone and there could be some games here. Someone might get overtaken in T12, but they’ll be able to recover on this massive straight down the Las Vegas Strip. You can activate DRS just after the Venetian Hotel tower which looms over the track. There might be some interesting three- to four-car battles here. If two cars are fighting at T12 and get a bad exit, you could see cars behind catch them on the long run to T14.
Turns 14, 15 & 16
Another overtaking spot – after hitting top speed once more, there’s a pretty heavy braking zone into Turn 14. From there you’re ‘tractioning’ – feathering the throttle – through the last tight left-right-left switchback section.
Turn 17
This is the final straight, leading onto the start-finish area. There’s no trick to Turn 17, it’s going to be as flat out as you can go on race trim, getting ready to start the lap again.
Track facts
Estimated top speed: 212mph
Circuit length: 3.8 miles
Corners: 17
Straights: 3
DRS zones: 2