Posted on: November 20, 2024, 10:21h.
Last updated on: November 20, 2024, 10:21h.
Former F1 driver Mika Hakkinen looks for a three-team Battle Royale along the streets of Sin City this weekend at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, scheduled for Saturday at 10 p.m. local time.
For Europeans who love car racing, and who might have money on the race, that start time means they can watch the event with a cup of coffee early Sunday morning. On the east coast, that puts the start time past midnight.
Verstappen Betting Favorite
Las Vegas Grand Prix CEO Renee Wilm says the decision regarding start time was all about compromise, to max out the potential viewership.
The nighttime race does make for some odd viewing, for people used to day-time racing, but there’s no denying the dramatic effect of a lit-up Strip, with its tapestry of colors, the nighttime desert sky as a backdrop.
All eyes are on Max Verstappen this weekend, gunning for this fourth consecutive drivers’ title. The Dutchman won the inaugural race at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit last year and is coming off a dominant win at a frenetic Sao Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil Nov. 3, with intense rainfall, a race where Verstappen started P17. That was his first race win since June.
Top Speeds Along Strip Section
The Red Bull Racing driver leads the standings by 62 points over McLaren’s Lando Norris, 86 points over Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. He’s in the driver’s seat – including taking the title even if he doesn’t win Saturday’s race outright.
Hakkinen, the Finnish former F1 driver, wrote this on Unibet’s website this morning:
“Las Vegas is also an unusual track, very quick including on the flat-out 1.9kms run from Turn 12 to Turn 14, but also with slow speed corners such as Turns 7 to 9 which go around the famous Las Vegas Sphere.
The desert climate means the nighttime is cold, and with Las Vegas keeping to its late-night format including the race on Saturday at 10pm local time, getting the tyres up to temperature and managing that aspect of performance is critical as always.
In an ideal world Lando will be pushing for the win with Oscar (Piastri, Norris’ McLaren teammate) acting as his wingman, keeping Max even further behind, but it won’t be easy. There is a reason Max is leading this championship – he is a formidable driver and knows how to get the most out of his car.”
Teams Have Data to Better Prepare
Hakkinen points to the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, the second longest track on the F1 schedule (behind Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium), with the flat-out section along the Strip where cars hit 350 kph, followed by heavy braking zones. It’s a track where over-taking is possible, Hakkinen wrote, and teams coming this weekend will be better prepared because they have data from last year’s race, to maximize performance.
Traders are taking note, obviously, especially as it relates to the lead Verstappen has in the drivers’ standings.
Traders: Drivers’ Title Wrapped Up
We are not taking a penny (since) he has the championship pretty much in the bag now and currently priced at 1/40 (-4000) there is no interest at all,” said Glen Hyslop from BetVictor. “It’s pretty much the same with the Constructors’ Championship. McLaren 1/7 (-700) is not attracting any business at all. Brazil pretty much put any potential last day dramas to bed with Max winning from 12th then Norris finishing 6th from pole. The season was shaping up nicely until this point, but it now feels like everything is wrapped up and there will not be any twists.”
With betting on the Saturday’s race, Hyslop says the early business is more on the other Red Bull driver, Sergio Perez, 100/1 (+10000) to win the race.
Two Races Left in F1 Calendar
“That price seems ridiculous considering how Red Bull has been over the past few seasons,” he said. “To see them priced in any of the cars at 100/1 to win a race is a reflection on his form this season, and the big improvements at McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes – he is behind all these drivers in race pace. If it came down to it as well, if he needs to sacrifice his race for Max to get the points needed to win the championship, the orders will be given.”
Intriguing storylines, for sure. Hakkinen sees a three-way fight between Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari this weekend.
The only way Norris keeps his title quest alive at least for another week is if he wins outright and sets the fastest lap time (1 bonus point) while Verstappen finishes out of the Top 10. That would cut Verstappen’s lead to 36 points, with just two more races and a sprint on the F1 calendar.
A fourth consecutive drivers’ title would put Verstappen in some heady company – joining all-time greats Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and Juan Manuel Fangio. Michael Schumacher holds the ultimate title with five consecutive drivers’ titles.
