'Surprised' Ricciardo Gives Verdict On Strange Las Vegas Grand Prix Schedule

Friday, 17 November 2023 at 23:00

AlphaTauri F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo shared his opinion on the decision to hold the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix qualification at night.

Daniel Ricciardo is the driver who told the media a few years ago his main wish for Formula One is to have a race in Las Vegas, and the 2023 season made his wish come true.

However, there is a problem that recently surfaced in relation to the event. The 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix qualification and the main race will take place on the same day.

This means the qualification has to take place very early in the morning, and the race has to take place very late at night. Sergio Perez said he finds it "a bit crazy" to stay awake for so long at night. Ricciardo told the media:

"I don't know 100% the thoughts behind the schedule, I don't know if they're restricted with taking over the Strip - and I'm sure the hotels and the people that own Vegas, so to speak, have a bit of a say."

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One would expect the Las Vegas Strip to be among the busiest streets in the World, and therefore, it would make sense for F1 not to be able to organize the event during the day. The Honey Badger said:

"So we could be at the mercy of Vegas and their needs and requirements, and if that is the case, if [F1] had total freedom, which I'm probably not sure they did, then I am pretty surprised we have qualifying at midnight."

It is not too warm in Sin City around this time of the year, and temperatures will be even lower during the Saturday early morning qualification, which might make things even more challenging for the drivers.

On the other hand, the AlphaTauri driver found a positive, saying his Australian fans will be able to watch the event at normal time. He concluded:

"It is perfect for Australia, but I am not sure who else is really benefitting, but it is the same for everyone and if the track surface is slippery, if it is as tricky as hell, then it is the same for everyone."