Double or Nothing for F1 in Las Vegas - 2023 Las Vegas GP Preview

Formula 1's most-hyped Grand Prix in history is here - the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix. Yes, we mean in history. In fact, this race could change the course of Formula 1's business in the future. It's the first time that Liberty Media turns 'race promoter' for a Formula 1 race. 

The 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix is so much more than just Formula 1. Fans will experience engagement and entertainment like never before. This race does have a 5-day paddock pass because there are activities spread over five days - from Wednesday to Sunday.

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Did you know? Formula 1 is hosting a post-race 'recovery brunch' on Sunday. No, it's not for the drivers, who will race at odd-hours of the day and in cold temperatures. It's for the (paying) fans and patrons. 

The 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix will be the longest race in terms of lap distance @ 309.9 kms. We harbour a guess as to why the long distance and yes, it is got to do something with the number of laps for the Grand Prix.

On Tuesday, there's the 'Swing to Survive' golf tournament between Formula 1 drivers (Gasly, Albon, Sainz and Norris) and golf stars. Wednesday will see a grand opening ceremony followed by Thursday-Friday-Saturday of on-track action. Yes, the race is on a Saturday so bring back all your on-track action by a day!

Will the cold weather bother Pirelli's ever-so-sensitive tyres? Will the high-speed circuit configuration favour a few teams over the others? Will reliability be an issue for the power units? And yes, can Lewis Hamilton out-score Sergio Perez by 6 points to keep his hopes for P2 in the Drivers' Championship alive?

(Season 2023, Episode 61)

Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah

Image courtesy: F1 Las Vegas on Twitter

## Formula 1 Podcast Episode Summary: Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023

**Introduction**

* The Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023 is the most-hyped Formula 1 race in history, with Liberty Media turning 'race promoter' for the first time.
* The race weekend offers a unique experience with activities spread over five days, including a post-race 'recovery brunch' for spectators.
* The 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix will be the longest race in terms of lap distance at 309.9 kilometers.

**Race Preparations and Circuit Features**

* The race weekend includes a 'Swing to Survive' golf tournament between Formula 1 drivers and golf stars, an opening ceremony, and on-track action from Thursday to Saturday.
* Concerns are raised about the cold weather affecting Pirelli's tires, the high-speed circuit favoring certain teams, and the reliability of power units.
* Lewis Hamilton needs to outscore Sergio Perez by 6 points to keep his hopes alive for P2 in the Drivers' Championship.

**Las Vegas Grand Prix as a Business Venture**

* The Las Vegas Grand Prix is a significant business venture for Formula One, with a $500 million investment in the paddock building and a focus on branding and sponsorship opportunities.
* The race aims to attract new fans, particularly in the United States, and showcase Formula One's global appeal.
* The Las Vegas Grand Prix is seen as a potential game-changer for Formula One's business model, with Liberty Media seeking to maximize revenue and expand the sport's reach.

**Unique Features and Controversies**

* The Las Vegas Grand Prix offers unique features such as a chapel for weddings in the paddock, a red carpet for team principals and drivers, and a no-money casino.
* Controversies surrounding the race include criticism of the 1 a.m. Saturday night start time, the high cost of hotel rooms, and the potential for increased crime.

**Race Schedule and Notable Events**

* The race schedule includes an opening ceremony on Wednesday, free practice sessions on Thursday and Friday, qualifying on Saturday, and the race on Saturday night/Sunday morning.
* Notable events include a pre-grid DJ set, driver introductions on the start grid, and the potential for cold weather conditions affecting the race.

**Circuit Layout and Potential for Overtaking**

* The Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit features a two-kilometer-long straight, providing opportunities for high speeds and overtaking.
* However, the starting grid for P20 is located on a curve, potentially hindering overtaking at the start of the race.

**Conclusion**

* The Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023 is a highly anticipated event that promises excitement, innovation, and a unique race experience.
* The race is expected to attract a large audience and generate significant revenue for Formula One, potentially shaping the future of the sport. **Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023: A Detailed Overview**

**Introduction:**

- The 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix marks a significant milestone in Formula 1 history, being the first race where Liberty Media assumes the role of race promoter.
- This race extends beyond Formula 1, offering a unique entertainment experience with a 5-day paddock pass and various activities spread over Wednesday to Sunday.

**Exclusive NordVPN Deal:**

- The podcast promotes NordVPN with a special offer for listeners, providing a risk-free trial with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

**Post-Race 'Recovery Brunch':**

- Formula 1 introduces a post-race 'recovery brunch' on Sunday, catering to (paying) fans and patrons rather than the drivers.

**Race Distance and Circuit Configuration:**

- The Las Vegas Grand Prix will be the longest race in terms of lap distance, covering 309.9 kilometers.
- The long distance is speculated to be related to the number of laps required for the Grand Prix.

**Schedule of Events:**

- Tuesday features the 'Swing to Survive' golf tournament involving Formula 1 drivers and golf stars.
- Wednesday marks the grand opening ceremony, followed by three days of on-track action from Thursday to Saturday.

**Race Concerns and Anticipation:**

- Questions arise regarding the impact of cold weather on Pirelli's tires and the potential favorability of the high-speed circuit configuration for certain teams.
- Reliability concerns for power units are also raised.
- The battle for P2 in the Drivers' Championship between Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez is discussed, with Hamilton needing to outscore Perez by 6 points to keep his hopes alive.

**Circuit Criticism and Local Impact:**

- The podcast acknowledges criticism of the Las Vegas Circuit's design and its impact on the local environment.
- However, it highlights that such controversies are common in Formula 1 and that the race's overall appeal and entertainment value may overshadow these concerns.

**Potential Impact on Future Races:**

- The Las Vegas Grand Prix is seen as a game-changer for Formula 1, potentially influencing future race locations and attracting new investors and sponsors.
- It could also lead to the emergence of new teams and Grand Prix events.

**Race Predictions and Speculations:**

- The podcast discusses potential race winners, with Carlos Sainz and the Ferraris mentioned as contenders due to the circuit's long straights and Monza-like setup.
- The possibility of experimenting with DRS usage is raised, considering the long straights on the circuit.
- The race is also viewed as an opportunity for Williams to perform well.

**Conclusion:**

- The Insideline F1 podcast emphasizes the uniqueness of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, focusing on the entertainment and spectacle surrounding the race rather than solely on the on-track action.
- The podcast team encourages listeners to enjoy the weekend's festivities and to remember key moments from the race.

[00:00.000 -> 00:07.280] Before we begin, I wanted to give a huge shout out to the folks at Amazon Music for partnering
[00:07.280 -> 00:10.800] with us on this episode of the InsideLine F1 podcast.
[00:10.800 -> 00:12.500] But more on this later.
[00:12.500 -> 00:41.440] Right then, let's get right into today's episode. So then folks, it finally is here. The Las Vegas Grand Prix. The first ever Las Vegas
[00:41.440 -> 00:46.080] Grand Prix. Right Kunal? First ever? Really first ever in four decades?
[00:46.080 -> 00:50.880] Maybe four? That's the that's the math we're getting at? No, no, no, no, we don't count the
[00:50.880 -> 00:55.280] last one because what happened in Vegas stayed in Vegas and I think people were too drunk and full
[00:55.280 -> 01:00.800] of substances that make you not remember things the day after that. I get a feeling this time Kunal
[01:00.800 -> 01:09.120] on Monday morning, wait force of habit, on Sunday morning, I don't think 90% of the people attending the Las Vegas Grand Prix will remember who even was the
[01:09.120 -> 01:10.120] winner.
[01:10.120 -> 01:11.120] That's the best part.
[01:11.120 -> 01:17.800] You know what Samil, here is an extremely exciting fact.
[01:17.800 -> 01:23.720] The Las Vegas Grand Prix has a five day paddock pass and I was wondering what do they have
[01:23.720 -> 01:24.720] for five days.
[01:24.720 -> 01:25.280] Okay. day paddock pass and I was wondering what do they have for five days okay and
[01:25.280 -> 01:29.920] there's a reason why I'm telling you this on Sunday there is something they
[01:29.920 -> 01:35.420] call as a recovery brunch at the circuit from 11 a.m.
[01:35.420 -> 01:41.560] Recovery? A recovery brunch. Recovery from? It's not for the drivers it's not for the
[01:41.560 -> 01:45.100] drivers you know driving in the cold, driving in Las Vegas.
[01:49.400 -> 01:49.700] It's a recovery brunch for the spectators who are there.
[01:51.500 -> 01:53.400] And here's the exciting part. This is what the document says.
[01:53.600 -> 01:58.500] You will be served a chef approved hangover cures.
[01:58.500 -> 02:07.040] I don't know why I said, oh, but you'll be served chef approved hangover cures in this recovery brunch which is on the
[02:07.040 -> 02:12.000] Sunday but can you imagine a five-day ticket and that's why Sunday morning
[02:12.000 -> 02:15.900] they might go to the recovery brunch and be like ah that was the driver who won
[02:15.900 -> 02:19.640] and if it's you you'll be like why did Carlos Sainz not win. Yeah I mean
[02:19.640 -> 02:23.320] clearly that's the most important part right Adam driver might be a part of the
[02:23.320 -> 02:28.160] Ferrari garage this weekend, Rihanna might be coming, a couple of other big sports stars might be
[02:28.160 -> 02:31.980] coming, you might just see Donald Trump appear as well, some other random people might be
[02:31.980 -> 02:38.060] on the grid. But for me, the most important person still is Carlos Sainz. Or the person
[02:38.060 -> 02:46.800] who's actually going to end up paying $1500 for a seat that doesn't even show you the track action. It's actually happening.
[02:46.800 -> 02:52.020] The Indy 500-ization of Formula 1 Kunal is finally here because you know what, I've met
[02:52.020 -> 02:57.440] so many people who have gone to the Indy 500 for the last 20-25 odd years, you ask them
[02:57.440 -> 03:02.720] the name of one winner, they don't remember. The reason why? The Indy 500 has the snake
[03:02.720 -> 03:05.080] pit and the snake pit is where you go party all
[03:05.080 -> 03:07.760] night and that's where you get drunk that's where you get stoned that's when
[03:07.760 -> 03:11.420] you get high and go out and have a good fun time and on the Monday morning leave
[03:11.420 -> 03:17.280] back home for work so they might be just that one person paying $1,500 just for
[03:17.280 -> 03:28.240] track access to see a grand total of nothing. That seed exists. That seat exists. Yes. That money you could actually buy the latest Apple
[03:28.240 -> 03:34.080] MacBook Pro with what the M2 processing chip with like a 15 inch screen. That's like the peak of
[03:34.080 -> 03:39.600] computers that you could ever get in modern day and age for $1500 but no you choose that seat.
[03:39.600 -> 03:47.560] Fair choice I'd say. Well you know yeah yeah yeah here's the thing about Las Vegas. Everyone's been like, oh my God, there's extra hype.
[03:47.560 -> 03:49.580] The race is going to be shit.
[03:49.580 -> 03:55.400] But the truth is the minute you get live images coming from Las Vegas, pretty much every fan
[03:55.400 -> 04:00.720] around will be like, yeah, you know, secretly, I wish I was there in Las Vegas.
[04:00.720 -> 04:04.960] Even if I wasn't buying somebody a ticket, I actually took part in a competition where
[04:04.960 -> 04:08.000] I could have won the ticket, but I didn't really win the ticket.
[04:08.000 -> 04:11.000] So let me talk down the race and the efforts that...
[04:11.000 -> 04:16.000] That's me. That's me. Sorry, you've caught me out. I want to be there. Yes, I do.
[04:16.000 -> 04:27.200] And why not? It's a race weekend. It's one of... I can tell you, this is going to be one of the most exciting races for the history of
[04:27.200 -> 04:35.280] Formula One as a sport, as a business. It could change the course of what's to come in the future
[04:35.280 -> 04:41.440] as to how Formula One is run as a business. And we will get to that in a short moment. But you
[04:41.440 -> 04:50.220] said Adam Driver in the Ferrari garage, Samuel. I mean, there will be people who will be wandering there in the paddock and guys, this is just opening banter.
[04:50.440 -> 04:55.400] Saying, why is he not driving the car if he's got driver in his name? Don't you think so?
[04:55.440 -> 05:05.600] Well done! A driver will be his initials. Very nice. Who's in the car? A driver is in the car. What do you mean a driver? Oh, it is the a driver, Adam Driver it is.
[05:05.600 -> 05:13.120] No, it's insane. I mean, so let's just scale it back down, right? Let's tell you how badly Formula
[05:13.120 -> 05:17.920] One wants this and which is why I think we're just going to label this the most important Grand Prix
[05:17.920 -> 05:23.680] in the history of Grand Prix racing, not Silverstone 1950 because eventually Grand Prix racing
[05:23.680 -> 05:26.560] would, I mean, if not at Silverstone, maybe if not 1950
[05:26.560 -> 05:30.200] I don't know by 1952 it would have become Formula One. This
[05:31.120 -> 05:35.760] genuinely is going to be the most important race ever because quite simply put Kunal,
[05:35.960 -> 05:40.280] Now if if we have reached out to the millionaires and billionaires of Miami
[05:40.800 -> 05:49.220] Las Vegas is apparently the wild wild west of not just the US but of the entire world. This is where people really take attention. Imagine tomorrow if you're
[05:49.220 -> 05:52.360] not Max Verstappen, for instance if you're Oscar Piastri right, you're
[05:52.360 -> 05:56.680] someone who's developing their personal brand, relatively known, slightly unknown
[05:56.680 -> 06:01.380] over here as well, but you end up taking a win in Las Vegas where people will
[06:01.380 -> 06:06.160] genuinely be betting money on you. In a night, can you imagine
[06:06.160 -> 06:11.040] how much his social media following would double? I mean, it'll almost go double, seriously, for sure.
[06:11.040 -> 06:15.440] How much people would remember him? His sponsor appeal, suddenly he becomes like the thing in all
[06:15.440 -> 06:21.040] of Las Vegas and people who aren't even watching the race remember only one name. Oh, Oscar from
[06:21.040 -> 06:25.840] Australia. That, for a driver, that level of branding, imagine the branding for teams
[06:25.840 -> 06:33.360] and brands and other sponsors. I mean, there's hands down no question on the hype and what it's
[06:33.360 -> 06:38.160] eventually going to deliver to Formula One and the whole ecosystem. That's what you're trying to get
[06:38.160 -> 06:47.960] at Somal. What is also important is for the first time in the history of Formula One and coincidentally I think it's coincidence at least this weekend is going to be the 1100th
[06:47.960 -> 06:54.440] Grand Prix in Formula One history. We've literally had 1100 races right as far as
[06:54.440 -> 06:58.440] I can remember this is literally the first time Formula One that is Liberty
[06:58.440 -> 07:03.440] Media or FOM or Formula One management as they are known will turn race
[07:03.440 -> 07:08.320] promoters right. What do I mean by that? Let's assume
[07:09.600 -> 07:16.240] it's a Grand Prix of India, just hypothetically, since that's the first name that came to my mind.
[07:16.800 -> 07:27.440] Grand Prix of India is a term that is actually owned by FOM. let's assume I was promoting the Grand Prix of India, I would go to FOM and say,
[07:27.440 -> 07:34.760] could I borrow the term Grand Prix of India from you so I can host a race on ground? And the money,
[07:34.760 -> 07:41.360] the race hosting money that I pay for to Formula One would be to borrow the official term,
[07:41.360 -> 07:47.040] the Grand Prix of India in the FIA Formula One World Championship, right?
[07:47.040 -> 07:54.320] And that's why this time it's not another local promoter but Formula One themselves who are the
[07:54.320 -> 07:59.680] promoters. And why are they doing this? This is a new attempt in their business model because,
[07:59.680 -> 08:05.200] you know, usually they would just earn from race hosting fees, which should be 10, 15, $20 million.
[08:05.200 -> 08:09.040] But here, there's at least 10x the number at play
[08:09.040 -> 08:10.080] this weekend, Sawmill.
[08:10.080 -> 08:11.720] Only their first race this weekend,
[08:11.720 -> 08:14.320] they've made a lot of capital expenditure,
[08:14.320 -> 08:17.560] but there is at least a 10x than a usual race weekend money
[08:17.560 -> 08:19.460] that's possibly available for them.
[08:19.460 -> 08:20.600] It's Las Vegas, baby.
[08:20.600 -> 08:22.040] You go big or go home.
[08:22.040 -> 08:24.160] And the best part is,
[08:24.160 -> 08:25.220] do you know how much they've
[08:25.220 -> 08:29.320] invested into their paddock building Kunal? Take a random guess. So I'll tell you the
[08:29.320 -> 08:34.900] features of the paddock building first, just to make it sound even more stupid. Obviously,
[08:34.900 -> 08:39.860] it has 10 team buildings, one for the FIA as well, one for the Drivers Association,
[08:39.860 -> 08:45.560] one for all the Ray Stewards, one for all the sponsors, all the promoters as well, I'm assuming.
[08:45.560 -> 08:47.760] Let's just say there are 15 team buildings.
[08:47.760 -> 08:51.700] There's also a church where you can actually get married
[08:51.700 -> 08:52.960] in the paddock.
[08:52.960 -> 08:54.960] I don't even know what value that adds,
[08:54.960 -> 08:56.360] but yes, you can get married.
[08:56.360 -> 08:59.280] So if you are a couple of mechanics racing in the same team
[08:59.280 -> 09:01.720] or different ones, and have always wanted to get married
[09:01.720 -> 09:03.500] to each other while working in Formula One,
[09:03.500 -> 09:07.200] this is the place to be, my friend. But there's a church, there's a pit building.
[09:07.200 -> 09:10.320] I'm assuming somewhere there'll be a swimming pool as well because it's America.
[09:10.960 -> 09:15.520] There's also a terrace with like a 20-foot Formula One logo
[09:15.520 -> 09:19.200] which has a video screen in the middle of it that just literally screams
[09:19.200 -> 09:22.320] screw you, I'm Formula One right atop the paddock.
[09:22.960 -> 09:26.240] It also is nearby the Las Vegas Fair,
[09:26.240 -> 09:27.960] which costs like roughly a couple of billion dollars
[09:27.960 -> 09:31.240] to build, is like a giant ball of a screen
[09:31.240 -> 09:33.100] that drivers will actually be able to see
[09:33.100 -> 09:34.760] from the track in the middle of the race.
[09:34.760 -> 09:35.600] So if you're thinking, well,
[09:35.600 -> 09:37.640] Fernando Alonso watching Lance Troll race,
[09:37.640 -> 09:40.640] maybe the entire grid will be able to watch the entire race
[09:40.640 -> 09:42.240] as it goes on this fair.
[09:42.240 -> 09:43.880] So all of this and more,
[09:43.880 -> 09:45.680] can you imagine how much money has
[09:45.680 -> 09:50.720] Formula One put down, like actually put down from their pockets to build this paddock building,
[09:50.720 -> 09:56.640] Kunal? Take a guess. I think it, if I remember correctly, it's 250 million dollars just to build
[09:56.640 -> 10:01.600] the building. Just to build the building? Yeah, to get the real estate to own it was another couple
[10:01.600 -> 10:05.080] of hundred million dollars. Not much, just petty
[10:05.080 -> 10:11.960] change another 250 million dollars. So that's half a billion dollars already in Las Vegas,
[10:11.960 -> 10:18.160] right? Do you know how much Andretti wants to invest to come into Formula One? 300 million.
[10:18.160 -> 10:23.200] Formula One has just smoked out 500 million dollars for a pit building at one race which
[10:23.200 -> 10:28.940] may just end up being its best or worst ever. What a gamble, huh? Like that is...
[10:28.940 -> 10:33.500] And you know, guys, you'll probably understand that this is the preview of the Las Vegas
[10:33.500 -> 10:37.200] Grand Prix where we are talking everything but Formula One 10 minutes in. But the truth
[10:37.200 -> 10:43.980] is Las Vegas Grand Prix is so much more than just Formula One, right? If you see the official
[10:43.980 -> 10:51.040] schedules and we'll get to that as well, there is just so much more happening than just Formula One, right? If you see the official schedules and we'll get to that as well, there is just so much more happening than just Formula One. And that's why
[10:51.040 -> 11:06.480] Samuel and I decided we have to talk about so much more than just Formula One. And is this too much hype? Can they do differently? Well, the truth is, this has never been done before. So why not? Maybe this was a race that Formula One was always wanting to
[11:06.480 -> 11:15.120] have, should have had. I mean, which other sport or which other race or a game or a match in a sport
[11:15.120 -> 11:22.560] has had so much investment, so much hype, so much attention, so much anticipation? I can't
[11:22.560 -> 11:45.720] really put my mind to it apart from the Olympics or a cricket World Cup if you're in Asia or And I'll put this into context for you folks. how we would promote a race. So we have turned race promoter and this is how we are promoting
[11:45.720 -> 11:50.920] a race. And I'll put this into context for you folks. Today, what are the most famous
[11:50.920 -> 11:55.960] buildings that Formula One cars actually go around in a race? You can name the casino
[11:55.960 -> 12:00.960] square in Monaco, fair enough. Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, I don't think it really counts.
[12:00.960 -> 12:07.520] If you ask anyone outside the US about Hard Rock Stadium, they won't even know about it. Today, Formula 1 races at the Abu Dhabi Marina, which is
[12:08.800 -> 12:14.000] like a tier C touristy destination in the world, if I might put it very, very subtly. Visit Abu
[12:14.000 -> 12:17.920] Dhabi if you're sponsoring us, it's a grade A destination, but otherwise not many people really
[12:17.920 -> 12:23.040] say, hey, I want to go to the Abu Dhabi Marina. They don't say that. Not until today. We, Kunal,
[12:23.040 -> 12:29.120] were also racing past the Sochi Olympic Park a few years ago.
[12:29.120 -> 12:33.880] We were also racing past the Albert Park in Melbourne, which is also not like a world famous thing.
[12:33.880 -> 12:36.480] The Baku Flame Towers, couple of other places.
[12:36.480 -> 12:41.520] But for context, do you know what buildings we're going to be racing at this year?
[12:41.520 -> 12:45.160] The Las Vegas Fair, $2 billion to construct.
[12:45.160 -> 12:47.400] Everyone in the world, including Elon Musk,
[12:47.400 -> 12:48.600] is talking about it.
[12:48.600 -> 12:51.880] The Las Vegas Eiffel Tower, like a legit Eiffel Tower
[12:51.880 -> 12:52.960] in the middle of the strip.
[12:52.960 -> 12:55.520] There's going to be the Mirage Hotel, the Caesar's Palace,
[12:55.520 -> 12:58.320] which is, by the way, a hotel that's formerly hosted
[12:58.320 -> 13:01.400] a Formula One race and was literally the entire place
[13:01.400 -> 13:03.240] that the entire Hangover movie was based on.
[13:03.240 -> 13:06.280] So if in case you want to find Charles Leclerc on Sunday morning,
[13:06.600 -> 13:09.160] probably check the terrace of Cesar's Palace. He might be there.
[13:09.720 -> 13:14.960] Also going to be racing at the Bellagio, the Cosmopolitan, the MGM,
[13:15.560 -> 13:20.120] sorry, I just have to say the MGM freaking grand and the T-Mobile arena and the
[13:20.120 -> 13:24.280] Las Vegas strip, all of it. Like if you tell an average American, right,
[13:24.280 -> 13:29.760] we're going to be racing in a random hill outside of Austin with a giant American flag, they're going to be like, okay,
[13:29.760 -> 13:35.120] but if you tell them we're going to be racing by the Eiffel Tower and the Bellagio, now that is
[13:35.120 -> 13:41.840] what brings the sport to the people. Insane. I mean, I just can't even imagine how many more
[13:41.840 -> 13:44.960] kids will grow up dreaming of Formula One just because they saw a car at the strip.
[13:44.160 -> 13:50.080] I just can't even imagine how many more kids will grow up dreaming of Formula One just because they saw a car at the strip. You mean how many more rich kids in America will grow up dreaming of
[13:50.080 -> 13:55.920] Formula One? Because imagine, imagine and you know I'm going to list out all the facilities
[13:55.920 -> 14:00.720] Formula One has and I probably think again they missed out something. They should have said pay
[14:00.720 -> 14:10.400] a couple of billion dollars, couple of million, Sorry, I probably just added another. Yeah, pay a couple of million. You get to do two laps around the Las Vegas Grand Prix yourself around the
[14:10.880 -> 14:13.920] the Las Vegas strip circuit as it's called. Wait, wait, wait.
[14:14.000 -> 14:19.040] A couple of million is very light Kunal. You know how much they're paying for hotel rooms on an average?
[14:19.600 -> 14:23.920] Like I'm hearing hotel rooms that go up to 60,000 dollars. Couple of million is easy then.
[14:24.240 -> 14:26.480] Maybe couple of billion would be the right amount.
[14:26.480 -> 14:28.080] And then imagine in a few years,
[14:28.080 -> 14:31.000] we'll have a 12th and a 13th team coming in from America
[14:31.000 -> 14:31.920] saying, well, that's it.
[14:31.920 -> 14:33.440] I've taken the Formula One bug.
[14:33.440 -> 14:34.520] I need to own a team.
[14:34.520 -> 14:36.480] I can't drive, but I'll own a team.
[14:36.480 -> 14:38.280] But you know, these are the ambitions
[14:38.280 -> 14:41.400] that Formula One wants to spark amongst the Americans.
[14:41.400 -> 14:44.660] And you know, this is all conversation,
[14:44.660 -> 14:46.320] the Americanization of Formula One.
[14:46.320 -> 14:51.360] Actually, it's the Americanization of the fans of Formula One. Americanization of Formula One has
[14:51.360 -> 14:55.360] happened through a lot of technology, which Formula One has, of course, had from America as
[14:55.360 -> 15:01.120] well over the, you know, 1100 race history. But now the fans are being Americanized. And I think
[15:01.120 -> 15:07.240] that's absolutely fantastic, because America has one of the most mature fan markets
[15:07.240 -> 15:08.840] in the world for various sports.
[15:08.840 -> 15:12.520] And now Formula One wants a share of that pie,
[15:12.520 -> 15:15.960] a share of that mature fan market, right?
[15:15.960 -> 15:19.600] And you mentioned all these cool building names.
[15:19.600 -> 15:22.040] And I was only thinking of that one movie, which
[15:22.040 -> 15:23.840] was the Oceans 11, 12, 13.
[15:23.840 -> 15:29.760] I don't know if they're going to shoot a 14 this weekend. But that's you know when you talk of these Bellagio's and all that, that's
[15:29.760 -> 15:35.600] Ocean's 11 and the stuff. And you also mentioned there's a chapel right which is where you can
[15:35.600 -> 15:43.440] actually race to the altar as it says. You what? Yeah, that's the tagline that they have right.
[15:44.000 -> 15:49.400] Yeah, that's the tagline that they have, right? There is also in the Formula One paddock a red carpet for F1's Grand Prix.
[15:49.400 -> 15:51.600] Again, something that's never happened before.
[15:51.600 -> 15:58.000] I assume that team principals, drivers, etc. when they enter, they will come via the red carpet, including all the...
[15:58.000 -> 15:59.400] You're kidding me!
[15:59.400 -> 16:03.000] Including all the celebrities, and there are more than a few celebrities,
[16:03.000 -> 16:13.040] and I'm going to read out some names that I actually have a list of. And there is a casino inside the paddock as well. Only that,
[16:13.040 -> 16:18.800] before you jump, it's a no money casino. So you can go there and play for fun, but it's a no money
[16:18.800 -> 16:26.720] casino. Also, there's a 4D show car of Formula 1. We've all seen it in 3D, but 4D, I'm assuming that's
[16:26.720 -> 16:32.640] the smell of Formula 1 that you will get when you see this show car. Wait, wait, wait. So on the
[16:32.640 -> 16:37.680] casino point, because that sounds really stupid to me, they are actually going to be betting on
[16:37.680 -> 16:42.960] Formula 1 in the real Bellagio and the Caesars Palace and all the others, right? They surely have
[16:42.960 -> 16:49.920] to be, because Formula 1 has tied up with them to create the Grand Prix experience and they are literally in part
[16:49.920 -> 16:54.640] owners of this race because they've had to block off their property and lease it to Formula One
[16:54.640 -> 16:59.440] so that they can construct a circuit and go on with all the drama that happens all the way through.
[16:59.440 -> 17:04.080] So yes, they are going to be betting, but are they going to be betting on Formula One, Kunal?
[17:04.080 -> 17:09.120] Is that a thing? Because I can't ever imagine any other race, even in Monaco for that matter,
[17:09.120 -> 17:13.920] people sitting inside a casino betting on the winner. That realistically could happen this time.
[17:13.920 -> 17:20.240] Could well be. I mean, actually, I'm not a big fan of betting myself. As you guys know,
[17:20.240 -> 17:32.560] every time there's a prediction, I'm the one on on the losing end even though it's so easy to just pick Max Verstappen winning every race in 2023. But you know why don't I actually read out so
[17:32.560 -> 17:37.840] this is on a Monday that we're releasing the preview of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. What all is
[17:37.840 -> 17:45.000] going to happen and from when? I know that there is an opening ceremony. Sorry.
[17:45.000 -> 17:46.000] That's happening.
[17:46.000 -> 17:47.000] Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry.
[17:47.000 -> 17:49.160] Did you say an opening ceremony?
[17:49.160 -> 17:51.600] An opening ceremony for the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
[17:51.600 -> 17:54.360] This is on Wednesday.
[17:54.360 -> 17:56.640] And just wait for it.
[17:56.640 -> 17:58.400] This is extremely exciting.
[17:58.400 -> 18:06.400] And before the Wednesday, by the way, there is a Netflix cup, the Swing to Survive, which is Gus Lee, Albin, Norris, and Carlos Sainz
[18:06.400 -> 18:11.400] participating on a nine-hole golf course in Las Vegas
[18:11.520 -> 18:13.560] with four professional.
[18:13.560 -> 18:15.000] Yeah, yeah, Swing to Survive.
[18:15.000 -> 18:18.000] And that's gonna be broadcast live on Netflix.
[18:18.000 -> 18:21.380] That's another first time for Netflix, at least in my head.
[18:21.380 -> 18:24.640] On Wednesday, let me read the whole thing out to you.
[18:24.640 -> 18:25.920] It's so exciting when you look
[18:25.920 -> 18:30.560] at this. It's such a different way of approaching the same thing. There's the opening
[18:30.560 -> 18:35.600] ceremony that we call it. On Thursday, you've got free practice one and two. Again, they are happening
[18:35.600 -> 18:44.080] very late at night, local time 8.30 to 9.30 for FP1, beyond midnight. So FP2 is actually 12 o'clock
[18:44.080 -> 18:46.640] on Saturday night to one o'clock, right? So we all
[18:46.640 -> 18:52.800] talk of Singapore and time zones. There's pretty much the same talk here of Las Vegas, Grand Prix
[18:52.800 -> 18:57.440] and time zones. We also talk of Singapore heat and humidity. It's going to be about cold and dryness
[18:58.000 -> 19:07.040] in Las Vegas, right? But you mean like 12 o'clock Saturday morning. Friday, Friday night, Friday night, 12 o'clock.
[19:07.040 -> 19:08.040] Oh my God.
[19:08.040 -> 19:10.280] But also 12 o'clock Saturday morning,
[19:10.280 -> 19:12.240] which is late night in Las Vegas,
[19:12.240 -> 19:15.240] is when qualifying is happening.
[19:15.240 -> 19:18.160] But I mean, I'll put it this way.
[19:18.160 -> 19:21.200] Especially in Europe, which is where I stay in Oslo,
[19:21.200 -> 19:26.800] if one was to see the Japanese Grand Prix. The Japanese Grand Prix happens at pretty much
[19:26.800 -> 19:32.880] the same time zone or the same time of the day for me which is the morning of the next day as say the
[19:32.880 -> 19:37.200] Las Vegas Grand Prix. So I'm not really the one complaining about this midnight stuff and here's
[19:37.200 -> 19:42.560] the interesting thing all other races in history, Samuel, and this I can verify without even checking,
[19:48.000 -> 19:58.000] and this I can verify without even checking, have a concert after the days on track sessions have ended. Here, the fan zone concerts are before the day's sessions actually start because the sessions themselves are happening so late at night.
[19:58.000 -> 20:05.200] Isn't it one o'clock in the morning local time on a Saturday night, Sunday morning, right?
[20:05.200 -> 20:06.160] That's correct.
[20:06.160 -> 20:12.400] One o'clock local time. Imagine. I mean, I think the time zones are slightly further forward in
[20:12.400 -> 20:18.320] the east, if I'm not mistaken. So, if you are a kid or anyone watching in New York,
[20:18.320 -> 20:23.920] and if you have to watch a home race at three o'clock in the night, how do you explain your
[20:23.920 -> 20:26.000] family? What do you do in this case?
[20:26.000 -> 20:31.520] But Formula One just has had to go and do this. But let's for a second, before we go to the on
[20:31.520 -> 20:35.760] track stuff, look at the criticisms of the Las Vegas GP, right? We're not trying to make this
[20:35.760 -> 20:40.160] like a balanced essay that you read on a bleacher report or something like that. Let's just tackle
[20:40.160 -> 20:45.240] stuff straight on. The residents are saying it's a 1 a.m. Saturday night start or like a Sunday
[20:45.240 -> 20:49.760] morning start. Crime your river, what are you gonna do about it? I mean what other time genuinely are
[20:49.760 -> 20:54.000] you gonna start the race on? Because the Europeans are gonna be asleep at any time before 1 a.m.,
[20:54.000 -> 20:58.360] any time after 1 a.m. the Americans are gonna be asleep. What's even the point? Start it at 1 a.m.
[20:58.360 -> 21:04.120] and figure it out. A near 500 million dollar pit building. Yes, it's also Formula One's new
[21:04.120 -> 21:06.560] headquarters. So one up to Formula One.
[21:06.560 -> 21:08.040] A chapel to get married in the paddock.
[21:08.040 -> 21:09.200] I think that's just a flex.
[21:09.200 -> 21:10.360] That's not a criticism.
[21:10.360 -> 21:11.600] That's just something you need to have
[21:11.600 -> 21:12.900] in every paddock in my opinion.
[21:12.900 -> 21:14.160] So that's one.
[21:14.160 -> 21:16.760] A giant F1 logo on the terrace.
[21:16.760 -> 21:17.600] Good.
[21:17.600 -> 21:19.400] What's there to criticize about that again?
[21:19.400 -> 21:20.360] The other things.
[21:20.360 -> 21:21.960] Curbs colored with card symbols,
[21:21.960 -> 21:24.320] like a club or a spade or a heart.
[21:24.320 -> 21:26.920] Not bad, I think we should do do with every single race in my opinion
[21:26.920 -> 21:30.560] I think imagine coming to India and having traditional Indian like sort of
[21:31.200 -> 21:37.080] Scriptures or hand figurine kind of things and by the way fun quirk the moment you arrive at Delhi Airport in India
[21:37.080 -> 21:40.000] You suddenly see lots of hands giving you lots of like negative
[21:40.840 -> 21:46.520] like sort of hand gestures kind of things which can be misinterpreted as abuses, it's just them
[21:46.520 -> 21:47.520] doing yoga stuff.
[21:47.520 -> 21:50.320] So imagine that on curbs, like weird stuff, weird symbols.
[21:50.320 -> 21:55.280] Or maybe, I don't know, if you go to the Netherlands, you have some Dutch mascot or some sort of
[21:55.280 -> 21:58.800] symbol on the curbs along with the orange, white and blue curbs.
[21:58.800 -> 21:59.800] That'd be cool, no?
[21:59.800 -> 22:00.800] So yeah, exactly.
[22:00.800 -> 22:06.080] I mean, the curbs, I can tell you, the curbs in Las Vegas are brilliant interpretation.
[22:06.080 -> 22:08.960] You know, what is Liberty Media trying to do?
[22:08.960 -> 22:15.280] They're trying to integrate Formula One into what is classic Las Vegas, right?
[22:15.280 -> 22:21.200] I would love to be the sponsorship and marketing and brand manager for the Las Vegas Grand Prix,
[22:21.200 -> 22:25.280] because the best way to integrate it is by pulling all these cultural,
[22:25.280 -> 22:32.640] local symbols and then playing around with them. Much like the curbs in Brazil were flags of the
[22:32.640 -> 22:36.800] Brazilian colors, right? And here they said, yeah, there we go, Las Vegas, we're going to put
[22:37.520 -> 22:43.360] the four symbols that you normally see on card decks, which are again universal around the world.
[22:44.320 -> 22:45.520] Some other criticisms
[22:45.520 -> 22:50.920] that we've seen which I don't really care is you know third race in USA.
[22:50.920 -> 22:54.160] I think it's rare for a country to have three races. The last time this happened
[22:54.160 -> 22:59.520] was 2020 COVID-19 through three races in Italy. I don't really care as long as the
[22:59.520 -> 23:03.680] races are fun and you know there are spectators out there having a great time.
[23:03.680 -> 23:05.760] And on that, have you seen
[23:05.760 -> 23:11.600] how small Europe is? I mean technically if we can have two Italian races, one San Marino race
[23:11.600 -> 23:16.480] and then go ahead and proceed to have, I don't know, a couple in Spain and Portugal, rubbish!
[23:16.480 -> 23:24.480] US is literally, I mean literally it encapsulates so many countries that I mean if you had to put
[23:24.480 -> 23:25.560] it on the map of Europe right, if you have to put it on the map of Europe, right,
[23:25.560 -> 23:29.840] if you have to geographically look at it, the USA is bigger than literally so many European
[23:29.840 -> 23:30.840] countries combined.
[23:30.840 -> 23:35.040] And if we look at those European countries, each of them has a Formula One Grand Prix.
[23:35.040 -> 23:38.600] So the criticism that the USA has three races just sounds like a whole heap of rubbish to
[23:38.600 -> 23:39.600] me.
[23:39.600 -> 23:43.120] I mean, there's one race on the West Coast, one race in Texas, one race in the East.
[23:43.120 -> 23:45.920] I think we're missing a couple of more races, generally, if you have to look at
[23:45.920 -> 23:48.960] it from a country and a geographical distance point of view, because the
[23:48.960 -> 23:51.400] center of the US is literally untapped.
[23:51.640 -> 23:53.760] So honestly, bullshit to that.
[23:53.800 -> 23:55.600] I think US needs more races, if anything.
[23:55.840 -> 23:56.040] Yeah.
[23:56.040 -> 23:59.480] I mean, the world needs more races and then all Somal and I will do is live in
[23:59.480 -> 24:01.280] our studio recording all the time.
[24:01.600 -> 24:03.520] But traveling or travel.
[24:03.560 -> 24:03.760] Yeah.
[24:03.760 -> 24:04.240] Why not?
[24:04.240 -> 24:08.300] I mean, uh, there's going to be, you know, ice sculpting of Formula
[24:08.300 -> 24:09.600] One cars happening.
[24:10.000 -> 24:13.000] I am looking forward to the opening ceremony because I've
[24:13.000 -> 24:16.300] seen the talent lineup that's playing and it's incredible.
[24:16.700 -> 24:17.200] The will.
[24:17.200 -> 24:20.700] I am is going to be doing driver introductions for the opening
[24:20.700 -> 24:21.400] ceremony.
[24:21.400 -> 24:22.000] Yes again.
[24:22.000 -> 24:29.120] I think he did a fairly good job the last time and sorry, nobody nobody, nobody made some noise. I mean, he said, America makes some noise
[24:29.120 -> 24:34.160] and they said, eh, well, he's getting a second chance to do it. Maybe it's the
[24:34.160 -> 24:38.520] Red Bull Junior Academy kind of approach saying we'll give him a second chance.
[24:38.520 -> 24:43.560] Okay. Uh, but, uh, there, there is also, uh, you know, it's, it's, uh, I think
[24:43.560 -> 24:46.960] there is going to be a pre-grid DJ set.
[24:46.960 -> 24:51.700] So just eight minutes before the race, there will be, you know, a DJ coming and playing,
[24:51.700 -> 24:52.700] hyping up the crowd.
[24:52.700 -> 24:57.000] They're going to call Las Vegas the home of Formula One in North America.
[24:57.000 -> 24:59.880] That's the that's the word that they're going to use.
[24:59.880 -> 25:04.040] There will be driver introductions again on the start grid on the Sunday.
[25:04.040 -> 25:05.360] So in case you forgot your drivers
[25:05.360 -> 25:11.120] from the Wednesday opening ceremony, you get a refresher on the the Sun or other Saturday. It's
[25:11.120 -> 25:18.080] not even Sunday, right? And what else is there? We will hear about track temperatures being extremely
[25:18.080 -> 25:22.560] low and if the tires are going to perform. So that's going to be a very technical conversation
[25:22.560 -> 25:25.000] that will happen time and time again.
[25:25.000 -> 25:29.000] We will hear the stat that the last time we had a really cold race.
[25:29.000 -> 25:38.000] So the coldest race before 2023 Las Vegas was 1978 Canadian Grand Prix where it was only 5 degrees centigrade.
[25:38.000 -> 25:47.360] And then another stat, Somal, which will come up is the last time a race wasn't on a Sunday was 1985 South African Grand Prix.
[25:47.360 -> 25:53.040] We will keep hearing all these stats, right? And here's a fun fact though, and I think this is
[25:53.040 -> 26:00.560] this is typical. We know that the average length of a Formula One Grand Prix is 300 kilometers,
[26:00.560 -> 26:05.000] right? So the minute you finish 300 kilometers, you go one extra lap and you end the race.
[26:05.000 -> 26:10.000] So whether it's 71 or 73 or 37 or whatever it comes up at.
[26:10.000 -> 26:20.000] The Las Vegas Grand Prix is the longest race by distance at 309.9 kilometers race distance.
[26:20.000 -> 26:29.200] And if the race track is 6 point something kilometers long, you can ask that they could have just ended it on 49 laps.
[26:29.200 -> 26:36.320] But I get a feeling that they want us to remember it's 50 laps just in the 500, you know, Las Vegas 50.
[26:36.320 -> 26:41.760] They don't want people to remember 49. So they've gone with the longest race distance this weekend.
[26:41.760 -> 26:47.120] And on that front as well, it's been 26 minutes into this episode
[26:47.120 -> 26:54.320] and we're only now touching up upon the fact that this circuit has a two kilometre long straight.
[26:55.120 -> 27:00.400] A two kilometre long straight. They're going to be literally revving the life out of those engines.
[27:00.400 -> 27:05.120] I mean, I don't even know what the action on the track is going to be like. A
[27:05.120 -> 27:09.600] two kilometer straight, by the way, Alex Albon, if you're watching or listening, you're going to be
[27:09.600 -> 27:14.480] smiling all the way to the bank because clearly that's P3 guaranteed for him in qualifying. But
[27:14.480 -> 27:20.560] a two kilometer straight, literally two places in the entire circuit where you can pass and
[27:20.560 -> 27:26.920] potentially if the F1 game is correct, and that game has been modeled on the basis
[27:26.920 -> 27:31.880] of the blueprints that are given to the gamers by the circuit makers, so I get a feeling
[27:31.880 -> 27:32.880] they are correct.
[27:32.880 -> 27:38.020] But if they are correct, the starting grid for P20 is literally on a curve.
[27:38.020 -> 27:42.560] So if you're P20, you're literally starting like, turning left, not straight.
[27:42.560 -> 27:44.840] So that is even more insane.
[27:44.840 -> 27:46.000] Track temperatures are going to be super
[27:46.000 -> 27:50.000] low. So I don't even know how they're going to warm up their tyres when it's literally 9 degrees
[27:50.000 -> 27:54.000] centigrade ambient temperatures, which means Mercedes are going to make a big hue and cry
[27:54.000 -> 27:58.560] about stuff because traditionally, they've had tyre heating problems. Now, I don't know if it's
[27:58.560 -> 28:05.440] there with this car because we haven't seen it exposed as much, but in the older gen, they were really, really noisy about
[28:05.440 -> 28:11.680] warming up their tyres in cold conditions. So there's that. And the one last criticism that
[28:11.680 -> 28:16.240] I want to talk about with the Las Vegas Circuit Kunal, apart from the track, because honestly,
[28:16.240 -> 28:21.200] I don't even know and I don't even care of what happens on the track, because when you go back
[28:21.200 -> 28:25.680] in time, do you remember the Miami GP's race winner? Or do you remember that
[28:25.680 -> 28:31.440] DJ Khaled was on the grid talking about changing tires with the wheel cover on and no pit gun?
[28:32.160 -> 28:35.920] So that is what you remember. You don't remember that Verstappen won a dominant and so on and so
[28:35.920 -> 28:40.320] forth. Or you don't even remember that it actually went past underneath the flyover. What you do
[28:40.320 -> 28:44.080] remember is the fake Marina. So these are the things that you will remember at the end. But
[28:44.080 -> 28:45.440] the circuit, right?
[28:45.440 -> 28:47.840] People are coming up on Twitter, Las Vegas residents,
[28:47.840 -> 28:50.200] and saying, oh, they've cut up our trees.
[28:50.200 -> 28:51.760] Oh, they've filled up our lakes.
[28:51.760 -> 28:53.920] Oh, they've built up a giant grandstand over here.
[28:53.920 -> 28:55.760] Oh, I can't see this from my hotel room.
[28:55.760 -> 28:57.280] Oh, I can't see this from my apartment.
[28:57.280 -> 28:59.920] Or the bridge that I used to cross over is now shut
[28:59.920 -> 29:01.280] and it's got a black poster on it
[29:01.280 -> 29:02.840] so that I can't see the race.
[29:02.840 -> 29:03.720] That's normal.
[29:03.720 -> 29:05.320] It's not just Las Vegas.
[29:05.320 -> 29:07.000] It happens everywhere.
[29:07.000 -> 29:09.920] And we had Ben Wilshire from Driven International
[29:09.920 -> 29:12.400] coming onto our podcast talking about this.
[29:12.400 -> 29:15.200] And yes, even at a circuit like the Hyderabad International
[29:15.200 -> 29:17.280] Circuit, just made for the Indian Racing
[29:17.280 -> 29:21.040] League in Formula E, over there as well, these things happen.
[29:21.040 -> 29:26.560] So all the drama and all the negative promotions that the Las Vegas GB
[29:26.560 -> 29:32.320] organizers are getting, I think it's rubbish isn't it? We see this for every race just that it comes
[29:32.320 -> 29:37.920] out more because it's Las Vegas. What do you reckon? Yes, oh yeah absolutely. I mean you know people
[29:37.920 -> 29:42.160] need to catch a break, maybe they're just tired, there's so many races to follow each time back,
[29:42.160 -> 29:47.720] time and time again. Maybe they will be entertained once the festivities start.
[29:47.720 -> 29:49.120] It's Diwali week in India
[29:49.120 -> 29:52.240] and it's Formula One week in Las Vegas.
[29:52.240 -> 29:53.780] I'm pretty sure, actually,
[29:53.780 -> 29:55.960] the opening ceremony is gonna have a drone show
[29:55.960 -> 29:57.800] which says, welcome to Las Vegas.
[29:57.800 -> 29:59.980] It'll transition into an F1 car.
[29:59.980 -> 30:02.320] When those things happen and the emotions kick in,
[30:02.320 -> 30:04.360] everybody's like, that's it, it's Las Vegas,
[30:04.360 -> 30:06.000] let's go and have fun.
[30:06.000 -> 30:08.880] And it's also, since I'm throwing stats,
[30:08.880 -> 30:12.560] the 12th different venue in the USA.
[30:12.560 -> 30:15.080] And Somil, here's something I've been waiting to,
[30:15.080 -> 30:18.040] dying to say on this episode, right?
[30:18.040 -> 30:21.860] Which is that 40 years ago, 81 and 82,
[30:21.860 -> 30:24.560] so well, 41 or whatever you count it,
[30:24.560 -> 30:27.920] Formula One raced in a car parking lot in the
[30:27.920 -> 30:36.320] Caesars Palace Hotel, like you said. It's taken 40 plus years for Formula One to exit the car park
[30:36.320 -> 30:42.240] and actually come and now race on the roads of Las Vegas. I think that's pretty iconic.
[30:43.040 -> 30:46.840] Absolutely and folks if you're just wondering, right,
[30:46.880 -> 30:48.440] 30 minutes to the episode,
[30:48.440 -> 30:50.960] we haven't spoken about what's going to happen on track.
[30:51.440 -> 30:56.000] There's a reason tomorrow when Formula One actually gets to the Las Vegas trip,
[30:56.360 -> 31:00.160] it'll change the game for the entire series forever because now,
[31:00.840 -> 31:02.240] I mean, I'm just imagining Kunal,
[31:02.440 -> 31:06.760] if tomorrow Colton Hurt and Patricio Ward want to get a Formula One back here, right?
[31:06.760 -> 31:11.680] Suddenly their appeal will be so much bigger when they say, hey, next year, Las Vegas GP,
[31:11.680 -> 31:17.600] I'm going to be wearing your logo in a car that's sponsored by your company there.
[31:17.600 -> 31:19.520] Now do you want to fund me?
[31:19.520 -> 31:20.920] That changes the game.
[31:20.920 -> 31:24.760] Because to millions of rich American investors, right?
[31:24.760 -> 31:25.200] Formula One is something
[31:25.200 -> 31:30.560] that happens in a faraway land watched by geeks and nerds that they can't even see, feel or touch
[31:30.560 -> 31:37.120] and has no tangible value on their business. If you are a Red Bull racing driver, or for instance,
[31:37.120 -> 31:41.360] if you're Andretti, if Andretti needs more money, tomorrow, if it goes to, I don't know,
[31:42.000 -> 31:48.640] some random startup from Silicon Valley that's there in Las Vegas to celebrate, and that billionaire meets Michael Andretti and says, hey, I'm willing to pump
[31:48.640 -> 31:52.960] $200 million into your team if you give me title sponsorship. These are the kind of deals that can
[31:52.960 -> 31:57.680] happen. Drivers like Colton Hurter or Patricia Ward can go to billionaires they meet over there
[31:57.680 -> 32:02.560] and be like, I can carry your name and your logo here next year. There can be teams that can come
[32:02.560 -> 32:10.720] up, Grand Prix that can spring up. Because in the past past Kunal, I've heard stories of lots of mayors of cities meeting Formula One organizers
[32:10.720 -> 32:16.400] at other street circuits and proposing plans for circuits at other places. So, this could be the
[32:16.400 -> 32:20.800] betting hub for so many different things that this is, I think Formula One's biggest and best
[32:20.800 -> 32:29.760] ever race weekend if there ever was one. Hands down, I mean, people will be wondering if we're being paid by Formula 1 to say all this. The truth is no. Rubbish. Yeah. But this
[32:29.760 -> 32:35.920] is going to change the course of future races. As I said at the start of the episode, Formula 1 will
[32:35.920 -> 32:41.360] take this model and say, you know what, this is what we can deliver. This is what you need to
[32:41.360 -> 32:47.800] deliver if you want us to race in your city. And there's another offshoot, and maybe this is where I'm shooting a little too far, is
[32:47.800 -> 32:52.100] let's assume Formula 1 wants to race in a market and they can't find a local promoter.
[32:52.100 -> 32:57.200] Could they just end up being a local promoter again in the future?
[32:57.200 -> 33:03.600] So it just doesn't limit them to, you know, to sort of the United States of America,
[33:03.600 -> 33:05.680] but if they could go elsewhere,
[33:05.680 -> 33:11.280] Somal, that's what I'm thinking. On the championship front, I think Checo Perez
[33:11.280 -> 33:17.680] is in the battle for P2. I know he's in battle for P2. I think if Hamilton scores by at least six
[33:17.680 -> 33:21.840] points, he outscores him by at least six points, then the battle for P2 will go down to the wire
[33:21.840 -> 33:29.400] in Abu Dhabi, which will please nobody but the sheikhs, I guess, and the Lewis Hamilton fans out there.
[33:29.400 -> 33:34.120] But the colder temperatures will be a constant question.
[33:34.120 -> 33:39.080] 20 points between Ferrari and Mercedes for P2, that'll be epic.
[33:39.080 -> 33:43.840] Cooler tracks have usually benefited Ferrari, like Somal pointed out.
[33:43.840 -> 33:46.360] It will be very difficult to put heat into the tires.
[33:46.360 -> 33:47.360] So very interesting.
[33:47.360 -> 33:49.480] It's going to be Monza levels of speed
[33:49.480 -> 33:51.040] that they could achieve,
[33:51.040 -> 33:53.400] but teams are just forced to use larger wings
[33:53.400 -> 33:56.000] and different toe angles to keep tire temperatures
[33:56.000 -> 33:57.320] going in as well.
[33:57.320 -> 34:01.040] And Somil, if there's anything that one needs to remember
[34:01.040 -> 34:03.240] going into the race weekend,
[34:03.240 -> 34:06.480] is the formula for converting Fahrenheit temperature
[34:06.480 -> 34:15.280] readings to Celsius. Oh God. Yes. And it's not a how many ever mile circuit. It's a six
[34:15.280 -> 34:21.680] kilometer circuit. What the hell is a kilometer? Search it up and say, and add the Logan Sargent
[34:21.680 -> 34:24.960] name as well. It's just an American meme I'm referring to because they don't know what
[34:24.960 -> 34:27.600] apparently they don't know what a kilometer is so we have
[34:27.600 -> 34:31.760] crazy memes and vines of Logan Sargent going around saying what the hell is a kilometer
[34:31.760 -> 34:39.280] but okay final point right uh on on that thing of racing I know it's not going to be the focus
[34:39.280 -> 34:45.120] this weekend and it shouldn't be as well. But for the Las Vegas GP,
[34:45.120 -> 34:47.960] who are the people going to be putting their money on?
[34:47.960 -> 34:49.680] Obviously, it's going to be Max.
[34:49.680 -> 34:50.840] I really say Formula One,
[34:50.840 -> 34:53.720] if you genuinely care about your product and all your fans,
[34:53.720 -> 34:55.200] please split it into two,
[34:55.200 -> 34:56.600] have two podium ceremonies,
[34:56.600 -> 34:57.720] have two main races,
[34:57.720 -> 34:59.880] have Formula One and Formula 1.5,
[34:59.880 -> 35:03.240] because if they see Verstappen dominating by 60 seconds,
[35:03.240 -> 35:05.680] they're probably not going to come back next year.
[35:05.680 -> 35:06.680] So let's give them a show.
[35:06.680 -> 35:11.160] I'd say Carlos Sainz for the win because I always say Carlos Sainz for the win and he's
[35:11.160 -> 35:13.240] good on a Saturday usually.
[35:13.240 -> 35:14.680] So that's my reasoning.
[35:14.680 -> 35:21.000] But if you're sitting at the Bellagio Canal and you have a fat stack of five really pretty
[35:21.000 -> 35:25.280] looking chips and the lady in the table says, Maseer Shah, who are you
[35:25.280 -> 35:28.480] putting your money on? Who are you putting your money on? I'm gonna put my
[35:28.480 -> 35:34.600] money on Maxwell Stappen even though I'll probably get a negative return but
[35:34.600 -> 35:39.480] no on a more serious note I would go with the Ferraris
[35:39.480 -> 35:46.080] because colder temps, long straights, Monza-esque setups needed, et cetera.
[35:46.080 -> 35:50.680] And we saw how strong the Ferraris were at that time in Monza.
[35:50.680 -> 35:58.120] Could it be your boy, Carlos Sainz, or could it be everybody's boy, Charles Leclerc, out
[35:58.120 -> 35:59.120] at the front?
[35:59.120 -> 36:03.480] And I just hope that Formula One is able to be a little dynamic here.
[36:03.480 -> 36:08.860] I know they won't, but I think, Samuel, this is a race that can run without the DRS with such long
[36:08.860 -> 36:09.860] straights.
[36:09.860 -> 36:13.000] Could we experiment running without the DRS?
[36:13.000 -> 36:17.620] Because DRS will actually just make it so easy down those straights.
[36:17.620 -> 36:21.700] Instead of slipstreaming and having a battle, you'll suddenly be like, I flick a switch
[36:21.700 -> 36:29.120] and I drive by so fast that by the end of the straight, I'm like five car lengths ahead of you in the braking spot. Could it be that?
[36:29.120 -> 36:35.120] Yeah, that could well happen, in all honesty, and which is where I think we should really keep an
[36:35.120 -> 36:40.000] outside bet on Williams as well, because they're going to be, let's just say, interesting to watch.
[36:40.000 -> 36:45.120] Ah, the last point, sorry, I know we're going overboard, but you know, third American race,
[36:45.120 -> 36:50.160] home race for Logan Sargent, 36 and a half minutes into the episode where two Formula
[36:50.160 -> 36:53.920] One Parak Insiders, no, I won't say Parak Insiders, but people who've worked in Formula One
[36:53.920 -> 36:59.360] and around motorsport are discussing the sport and still we haven't brought up the fact that it's a
[36:59.360 -> 37:05.600] home race for Haas and Logan Sargent. So if you're thinking what we need is a 12th or 11th American team,
[37:06.320 -> 37:11.600] that's your answer. It's not the Americanization that sells, it's the story around it that sells.
[37:11.600 -> 37:16.880] So we don't really need Andretti anymore. I know it's an uncalled potshot, but here we are.
[37:16.880 -> 37:21.200] Yeah. And you know, the circuit layout to me is extremely interesting. Again,
[37:21.200 -> 37:25.880] lots of criticism for it, but guys, we've not seen a single lap being driven
[37:25.880 -> 37:28.240] around this circuit, and we are criticizing.
[37:28.240 -> 37:32.200] It looks like an inverted pig hanging, as far as I see.
[37:32.200 -> 37:34.880] The vegan in me finds that pretty interesting.
[37:34.880 -> 37:37.200] But I love the names of the corners.
[37:37.200 -> 37:39.440] There's a corner name called Elevated Monorail.
[37:39.440 -> 37:43.040] And Samuel takes the inside line on Kunal
[37:43.040 -> 37:48.560] at the Elevated Monorail corner. There's also a harbor island
[37:48.560 -> 37:54.240] apartment. Says Topgolf. There is Planet Hollywood. That's going to be where Lewis
[37:54.240 -> 37:59.600] Hamilton will want to make a few moves as well, I guess. But seriously, it will eventually be
[37:59.600 -> 38:05.040] corner numbers that will be used. Even the corner names is what will get hyped in the build
[38:05.040 -> 38:06.520] up to the race.
[38:06.520 -> 38:09.800] It's a lot of weird monopoly names, isn't it?
[38:09.800 -> 38:15.920] Like Hollywood Avenue and Upper Monorail section or Fleet Street.
[38:15.920 -> 38:17.440] Fleet Street is actually a place though.
[38:17.440 -> 38:20.120] But folks, I think we're going overboard now you can clearly tell.
[38:20.120 -> 38:27.800] So thank you so much for listening to our Las Vegas GP preview where we spoke about everything apart from the action on track
[38:27.800 -> 38:30.000] because that's what the weekend is going to be like.
[38:30.000 -> 38:33.500] But what really excites you most about this weekend?
[38:33.500 -> 38:36.800] Let us know while looking down on your social media handles
[38:36.800 -> 38:39.800] and tagging us at atinsidelinef1pod.
[38:39.800 -> 38:42.800] So folks, we'll be back on Sunday.
[38:42.800 -> 38:45.240] We'll be back. We'll actually be back on Sunday for our recovery episode. It's not the review episode. It'll be the be back on Sunday. We'll be back, we'll actually be back on Sunday
[38:45.240 -> 38:46.920] for our recovery episode.
[38:46.920 -> 38:47.960] It's not the review episode,
[38:47.960 -> 38:50.040] it'll be the recovery episode on Sunday
[38:50.040 -> 38:51.680] that you should be tuning into.
[38:51.680 -> 38:53.160] So thank you so much for listening, folks.
[38:53.160 -> 38:54.200] We'll be back soon.
[38:54.200 -> 38:56.520] My name is Somal Arora, joined by Kunal Shah.
[38:56.520 -> 38:58.320] This was the Insideline F1 podcast.
[38:58.320 -> 38:59.800] And all I'm gonna say is,
[38:59.800 -> 39:01.960] try to remember some things from this weekend.
[39:01.960 -> 39:24.320] Have fun. Bye.
[39:24.320 -> 39:28.320] Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of the Inside Line F1 podcast.
[39:28.320 -> 39:33.660] Before we ended, I just wanted to say a huge thank you to Amazon Music once again for partnering
[39:33.660 -> 39:35.720] with us on this episode of the podcast.