Was the Las Vegas Strip Circuit a simplistic course designed to encourage DRS passes? Or a surprisingly difficult and thrillingly quick avenue monitor?
The venue for the primary Las Vegas Grand Prix provoked totally different responses from the drivers, partly colored by how profitable they had been or how effectively their automobiles suited the structure.
Earlier than the race many had been involved the monitor wouldn’t be very difficult to drive and that regardless of its many lengthy straights overtaking would show troublesome because the floor lacked grip and the DRS wouldn’t be very highly effective.
After the grand prix a few of these views had modified. Most drivers discovered overtaking was doable, maybe partly because of the extension of the DRS zone on the Strip earlier than remaining follow. Issues over the shortage of grip remained, nevertheless, and some drivers had particular concepts on methods to enhance the structure.
Right here’s what they mentioned.
Max Verstappen
The Purple Bull driver was no fan of the occasion, and described the monitor structure as too unchallenging earlier than the weekend started. Nonetheless he felt it was prone to produce good racing, and afterwards attributed that to a couple causes:
I believe low deg[radation] on the arduous tyre.
Quite a lot of slipstreaming with the lengthy straights and possibly a little bit of a headwind on the straight as effectively.
I believe the low-speed corners, if you’re following you don’t actually lose that a lot time as a result of they’re that gradual, the corners.
After which there’s a variety of draft across the monitor after flip 4 to 5, from flip 9 to 12 after which in fact all the way in which from 12 to 14 after which from 16 to show one is, once more, a draft-fest. In order that made the racing a lot better.
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Charles Leclerc
The driving force who completed second and got here near successful was stunned how a lot simpler it was to overhaul than it was within the second follow session, earlier than the DRS zone on the Strip was prolonged.
I beloved the racing. I didn’t count on to have that a lot enjoyable within the race as a result of in FP2 I used to be following, I believe, George [Russell] and I actually struggled to overhaul him.
Then we went down on the downforce and at this time was a lot better. I had much more enjoyable.
It was a very thrilling race and I’m fairly positive it was a very good one to look at. So I’ll be sure I watch that race again.
Sergio Perez
A recurring theme amongst many drivers was the shortage of grip on the monitor floor. Though the race concerned many modifications of place, a number of drivers had been involved about how little grip that they had.
The low grip, I believe that was one thing that basically caught us out, how the asphalt, mainly, how low it was, how we began with it however actually how we completed it was actually, I believe, on the low aspect.
It’s at all times going to be like that as a result of we didn’t have any assist occasions. So possibly it’s one thing that additionally may be improved, to have extra classes within the weekend.
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Esteban Ocon
After climbing from sixteenth on the grid to complete fourth, Esteban Ocon raved in regards to the circuit:
The monitor has been enjoyable to race and I knew that was going to be the case with the lengthy straight.
As anticipated, with such lengthy straights it was at all times going to be some good racing.
I had some good strikes on the tight part as effectively, not solely within the quick components. Individuals might say it’s solely DRS overtakes and it’s boring, however I had a great cross on the brakes to Logan [Sargeant] into flip seven, in order that was enjoyable.
Lance Stroll
Lance Stroll was one other driver who gained a variety of locations, rising to fifth from the again row of the grid, and in addition praised the monitor.
I loved it for positive. Nothing actually to say. It was really a variety of enjoyable to race, a bit bit like Baku.
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Carlos Sainz Jnr
Lando Norris crashed closely at flip 12 and was taken to hospital, which means he wasn’t round to talk to media after the race. However Carlos Sainz Jnr had some issues in regards to the run-off the place his former workforce mate got here to relaxation.
It’s a good racing monitor for racing. For me possibly flip 12 is a bit too harmful with the wall coming in the direction of you. I believe we are able to do a greater form of that nook, additionally to enhance the racing as a result of it’s very troublesome to comply with. So hopefully this will get higher for subsequent 12 months.
Lewis Hamilton
The monitor was in contrast by many drivers, together with Lewis Hamilton, to Baku Metropolis Circuit in Azerbaijan, one other high-speed avenue monitor.
The race was nice. It was probably the greatest races. So many individuals, all of the media, everybody’s been so unfavourable about this race and in regards to the present and all that. Simply let it’s and see the way it goes. Nice race, that is like Baku however higher.
George Russell
Hamilton’s workforce mate George Russell was ready to confess the circuit wasn’t so simple as he initially anticipated. He remained of the view overtaking wasn’t straightforward, although Mercedes’ excessive drag was in all probability a think about that.
The monitor was really lots higher to drive than I anticipated. It appeared fairly fundamental from a monitor map, however it’s really obtained various character, a very difficult circuit to drive.
However with the character of the low-downforce circuit, the slipstreaming actually isn’t that substantial, I don’t know what number of overtakes there have been within the race however it wasn’t simple to cross.
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Fernando Alonso
Whereas a number of drivers praised the standard of the race F1 had in Las Vegas, essentially the most skilled competitor on the grid mentioned the sequence shouldn’t use it as a template for all future occasions.
We want a stability. As we mentioned this week – all drivers – there’s not a lot enjoyable to drive in this type of circuit at [these] speeds, 360kph, with no grip, no visibility, bouncing like hell and these type of issues.
I do know this present from the surface possibly appears good, however these automobiles usually are not made to go at corners of 80kph. These [cars] are made to go in Suzuka, to go in Barcelona, to go in Silverstone and maximise a System 1 potential.
So I believe we have to stability the championship and stability the calendar. I believe it’s what we’re doing. However I don’t assume that that is the one solution to go. I believe we have to must maintain some conventional races as effectively the place the System 1 automotive can shine.
Oscar Piastri
Rookie Oscar Piastri’s feedback had been typical of many drivers, in that he discovered it an unchallenging circuit however one which produced a great race.
To drive it’s not on my ‘favourites’ checklist. However to race it’s actually fairly good.
I believe the type of DRS zone into that final chicane was a fairly good size that made it not a super-simple overtake into that nook. So I believe that was good.
In fact lots of people had been on totally different tyres, lots of people struggling with graining, some not, so it simply creates a pure tempo distinction between a variety of automobiles. And to be sincere, I believe at any circuit the place you’ve gotten that, that’s going to be the case as a result of going into the race, we thought it could be fairly troublesome to overhaul.
So a nice shock and hopefully was entertaining.
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Daniel Ricciardo
The AlphaTauri drivers had a troublesome weekend as their automotive appeared to particularly wrestle with the low-grip nature of the monitor. Daniel Ricciardo feels holding the monitor classes earlier within the day when the monitor is hotter would possibly assist:
Undoubtedly it was sketchy. And if different drivers are saying it, we had been actually sketchy.
I don’t know what they’ll do with monitor opening occasions, but when they do have flexibility, I believe for everybody’s well being and security carry it ahead. Possibly a little bit of temperature, but in addition simply everybody can be working with a bit bit extra juice within the tank.
Possibly they might do one thing to the floor. I do know in Saudi they strain wash it or no matter, so possibly they might do some remedy to it to make it a bit extra abrasive and assist the grip.
Zhou Guanyu
Zhou echoed Ricciardo’s feedback, declaring the fixed must reopen the monitor meant any enhancements in grip ranges had been erased each 24 hours:
It was not unhealthy, however it is vitally dusty. I believe the one factor not very best was simply the Tarmac we had this weekend. It was virtually worse than Doha in FP1, should you look.
Daily the Tarmac was going again to the start line. So if we are able to have Tarmac much like Jeddah it could make the race much more entertaining.
Logan Sargeant
House racer Logan Sargeant supplied another ideas on methods to enhance the monitor for racing:
I believe possibly a few of the kerbs generally is a little bit nicer to experience. Apex kerb at 12, apex kerb at 15 might in all probability simply be eliminated that one, open that nook up a bit bit. Apart from that, it’s fairly strong.
Valtteri Bottas
Valtteri Bottas mentioned the monitor doesn’t want modifications and believes it was good for racing, although he spent a lot of the race caught on the again in a automotive which was broken on the primary lap.
I at all times thought it’s going to be a great monitor for racing. I believe at this time confirmed, sure. It might have been good to be a part of it really enjoying round, however I used to be a bit extra like a sitting duck myself. I believe it deserves a spot on the calendar.
Nico Hulkenberg
Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg recognised the constraints F1 needed to work inside to provide the monitor, and felt that they had succeeded inside these constraints:
It’s good, really. Clearly there’s a set of circumstances that they must construct and design the circuit round with the Strip with this plot of land. However I really loved it, I believe the monitor’s fairly cool.
