Las Vegas Grand Prix: “There are no more seasons my good lady! »

Let's be lenient with the Formula 1. Weather forecasting is not an exact science, especially in times of climate change. However, in 2023, it remains possible to have a fairly accurate idea of ​​the weather in this or that region of the world at a given period.

Thus, in Qatar at the beginning of October, temperatures remain particularly high, even after the sun sets. Conversely, Las Vegas nights are particularly cool in mid-November.

In its quest for buzz, bling, and cash, the premier category seems to have ignored the most basic common sense by choosing to organize the Formula 1 Grands in Losail from October 6 to 8 then in Sin City from 16 to 18 november. The former sporting director of F1, Ross Brawn, recently confessed: the sport's pundits did not take into account the weather factor when signing a three-year deal (with the possibility of extending up to 10) with Las Vegas.

Clearly, the former technical director Classic Ferrari for sale and main team Mercedes Benz, now retired, does not leave a famous legacy, judge instead: a new aerodynamic regulation which gave birth to domination Red Bull relentless, a Sprint concept which still does not convince after three years, and new races of questionable interest (Losail, Jeddah, Miami, Vegas).

In an ironic and tasty article, American journalist Elizabeth Blackstock tells an anecdote which says a lot about the lack of vision and anticipation of F1 decision-makers.

« I spoke with a handful of people affiliated with F1 over the US Grand Prix weekend (in Austin, Texas from October 20 to 22. Editor’s note), who feared the Las Vegas race would be marked by the kind of extreme heat that exhausted and sickened so many drivers in Qatar, she writes for the Jalopnik site. I was almost too stunned to tell them that that’s not how desert temperatures work. »

The city of Sin is in fact located in the Nevada desert and if it is hot during the day, the autumn nights are… cold.

However, Formula 1 single-seaters are not designed to run at temperatures below 10°C, which is the conditions that the teams are likely to encounter next week in Vegas... especially since the start is scheduled for 22 p.m. Saturday local time . Here again, we favored show and decor with hotel-casinos lit like Christmas trees along the famous Strip, rather than common sense. What does the FIA ​​think? champion of security?

The good Ross Brawn sees this as an opportunity to further spice up the show on the track.

« We are certainly facing new challenges that we have never had before, but I think it will be spectacular », assures the former British engineer, who spoke to us about Sprints in similar terms…

After having had to modify the conditions of use of its tires in the heat of Losail, will Pirelli have to do the same in Vegas to prevent the Grand Prix from turning into a new episode of the Hunger Games?

And to think that a week later, all these beautiful people will meet in Abu Dhabi for the last round of the 2023 season. To follow up a race in American Nevada with an event in the Middle East in the space of a few days, again a rich idea of ​​our favorite sport!

We will end up believing that they do it on purpose...