Teams ‘trusting’ F1 to deliver after extreme hype for Las Vegas GP debut

Henry Valantine
The pit exit at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

From playing card kerbs to huge construction work in the city, the Las Vegas Grand Prix is raising eyebrows.

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur is putting ‘full trust’ in Formula 1 to deliver on its first run around the streets of Las Vegas this weekend.

F1 is returning to Nevada 41 years after its ill-fated races around a track built in the car park of Caesars Palace, but on a much larger scale this time around.

Huge amounts have been spent on getting the street circuit up to scratch, as well as constructing an all-new garage block and pit lane for the event this weekend.

Fred Vasseur placing ‘full trust’ in F1 to deliver on Las Vegas hype

Having had another American race debut last year in Miami, Formula 1 expanded to a third round Stateside this time around with a Las Vegas Grand Prix – and Vasseur believes the solid debut in Florida should provide a sturdy basis for what is to come here.

“We have to fully trust them,” Vasseur said when asked if there were any concerns from the teams that the race may not go smoothly in Las Vegas.

“But if you have a look at Miami last year, it went pretty well – at least on the racing side.

“The track was well prepared, and I hope it will be the same in Vegas.”

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As for Ferrari themselves, they will be looking to bounce back from a tough weekend in Brazil overall, with Charles Leclerc having crashed out on the formation lap with a hydraulics issue.

While Carlos Sainz performed well to move through the field in race trim, it was a case of what might have been for the Scuderia on a weekend where P2 rivals Mercedes were off-colour.

And like Mercedes, the Ferrari team principal wants to bounce back in Las Vegas.

“For sure, Vegas will be difficult, but I think everybody is anticipating that it will be difficult,” Vasseur added.

“It could be… I don’t know what – conditions seem to be very, very cold, but it’s a new track with a kind of special layout. We have to take it as an opportunity to come back at this race.”

Ferrari head into the weekend 20 points behind Mercedes in the Constructors’ standings, with the fight very much on to be ‘best of the rest’ behind Red Bull come the end of the season.

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