Las Vegas GP 2023 | When does it take place, how to watch and what to expect ahead of the debut race?

It’s a big weekend for fans of Formula One, as after months of planning and preparation, the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix takes place this weekend in Sin City. The Las Vegas Grand Prix’s 3.8-mile track will weave past world-famous landmarks, casinos and hotels as drivers push their luck to breaking points at speeds of up to 212 mph.

The announcement of the race and its details, including the scheduled date of the first race, was made public as part of the preparations for the 2023 season. The event represents a significant moment in Formula One history, marking the 1,100th round of the Formula One World Championship.  The decision to include Las Vegas in the Formula One calendar and the signing of a 10-year agreement between Formula One and Las Vegas demonstrate a long-term commitment to hosting the race, with the intent for it to continue for years to come.

With an opening ceremony taking place on Thursday, which includes performances from John Legend, will.i.am and The Blue Man Group, two of F1’s greatest - past and present - have already taken a look around the course and the area for the race, known as “Speed City.” 

The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 team, consisting of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, alongside chief owner and CEO Toto Wolff and F1 great David Coulthard took over the Speed Vegas racetrack and built a pop-up “Speed City”, a desert camp and entertainment venue. The action on the track in Mercedes-AMG GT Coupé’s was accompanied by a spectacular drone show supported by lights, in the “City of Lights.”

This entire week is set to see Las Vegas dominated by petrol-heads looking forward to seeing if the Red Bull duo of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez can continue their stranglehold at the top of the 2023 F1 season leaderboard - or in front of the bright lights and what will certainly be a celebrity-heavy crowd this weekend, will Lewis Hamilton earn a victory and etch his name as the inaugural winner of the Las Vegas Grand Prix?

When does the Las Vegas F1 Grand Prix take place?

The schedule for the Las Vegas F1 Grand Prix is as follows (times in US):

• Wednesday November 15: Opening ceremony
• Thursday November 16: Practice 1
• Friday November 17: Practice 2 and 3
• Saturday November 18: Qualifiers and Grand Prix

How can I watch the Las Vegas F1 Grand Prix?

All sessions from the Las Vegas Strip Circuit are live on Sky Sports F1, with Qualifying and the Grand Prix also simulcasting on Sky Showcase, which is available to all Sky TV customers. The star-studded opening ceremony at 1:45pm on Thursday November 16, while qualifying begins at 8am on Saturday November 18, with build-up from 7am and the main event, the Las Vegas Grand Prix, gets under way at 6am on Sunday November 19, with build-up from 4.30am (all times in GMT.)