Not just the show in Las Vegas: All the latest from Formula 1

In the premier class of motorsport there will be a record calendar with 2023 Grand Prix in 23, and for the first time there will also be racing in the gambling city of Las Vegas. In addition, the number of sprint races has been doubled; there are only minor rule changes to the cars themselves. The big rule revolution didn't happen this year.

The sprint races, the results of which will be used for the starting grid of the Grand Prix on Sunday, have been increased from three to six. The 100 km mini events will be held in Baku, Spielberg, Spa-Francorchamps, Doha, Austin and Sao Paulo. The usual qualification takes place on Friday. The result of this session is the basis for the sprint setup the next day. In the sprint race there is a free choice of tires and pit stops are not mandatory. Points are also awarded, the winner receives eight, the eighth place one.

New qualification system Formula 1 will also test a slightly different qualification system in up to two races. A new tire rule is intended to reduce the number of tire sets used in the interests of sustainability. The rubber mixture to be used is specified in the three knockout rounds. The hard mixture in the first, the medium in the second and the soft in the third session in the fight for pole position. Drivers are also not allowed to use more than eleven sets of slicks on these weekends, otherwise 13 are permitted.

In any case, the Grand Prix in Las Vegas on November 18th (November 19th CET) should be a spectacle. It is the third USA race after Miami and Austin. The contract with the gambling city was concluded until the end of 2025, but the organizers have already received the green light until the end of 2032. Formula 1 also dug deep into its pockets for the drive along the Las Vegas Strip, the legendary section of Las Vegas Boulevard with its dazzling casino hotels. Land was purchased for reportedly around $240 million to build a pit facility and guest areas.

There's a lot of advertising going on in Las Vegas. © Formula 1 / Denise Truscello - Formula 1

In the case of the cars, a revised roll bar is intended to ensure more safety. Last year, Guanyu Zhou landed his Alfa Romeo in the safety fence at Silverstone, and the roll bars were revised in response to the horror crash. The titanium protection must have a rounded top so that it does not dig into the ground in the event of an accident and does not become a trap for the car.

The cars also had to slim down a little. The minimum weight was reduced from 798 to 796 kg (without fuel). Many teams therefore do without painted surfaces on their cars, which would add unnecessary weight. This can be seen particularly well in the Mercedes with the bare carbon fiber skin in black. In addition, the so-called “porpoising”, i.e. the “jumping” of the cars, should finally be history. After adjustments in the previous year, the outer edges of the car underbody have now been increased by 15 millimeters. This is intended to better dissipate the accumulated air under the car and reduce “bouncing”.

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Not just the show in Las Vegas: All the latest from Formula 1

Formula 1 starts the new season on Sunday with changes: more races, more sprints, more safety. But that's not nearly enough.

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