Opinion: Did I Actually Enjoy The Las Vegas GP?

Remember how one of my previous posts was all about how much I was dreading the Las Vegas Grand Prix? (Read it here!) Well, I suppose after last weekend's proceedings it's time for a follow up, right?

Let's not lie, things didn't get off to the greatest starts. The "Opening Ceremony," for example was a bit of a farce, with only about 5% of it actually being about Formula One. I did not waste my Wednesday (or Thursday, was it?) watching this.

Another thing I didn't watch was Free Practice One, although the F1 App didn't hold back from pinging me at 4-5 o'clock in the morning to tell me that the session was suspended after the drain cover incidents that ultimately destroyed Carlos Sainz's weekend. Ironically, he's my favourite driver. Don't get me wrong, drain cover incidents are nothing new when it comes to street circuits, but it makes me wonder, has nothing been learnt from previous events? Although Sainz was unlucky to be the driver to hit the cover, he was lucky that the incident wasn't worse.

And, shall we talk about how that particular incident was handled by the FIA and Las Vegas Grand Prix organisers? Deciding to fill the drains/holes (not overly sure on what they are or their purpose) with concrete mere moments before FP2 commenced, meaning that the session was heavily delayed and cars not taking to the track until the early hours of the Las Vegas morning. Oh, and fans were barred from being there. No apology, no refund, just a $200 gift card. It's easy to see why many revolted, disgruntled at what happened. As for Carlos Sainz, he received a ten place grid penalty after Ferrari had to change numerous aspects of the car to get it repaired for the rest of the weekend. An unfair penalty that he, nor Ferrari, deserved. Even the majority of teams agreed that it should be dismissed. All bar one. I'm looking at you, Mercedes. But hey, does it matter? Sainz and Ferrari beat them in the race! *Insert smug look here*

Despite this, and the awkward/cringeworthy viewing that was the announcer welcoming drivers to the Drivers Parade, the Las Vegas Grand Prix actually surpassed all expectations. There was no doubting that the race would cause some on-track chaos, with colder track temperatures and tyres struggling to come into their prime, but, the more important story however, was how many on-track battles and overtakes that were happening throughout the course of the race. As has been with the majority of the season, we just presumed that Verstappen would take the lead early on and run away with it. Also, we perceived the track as being boring and processional. Unbeknownst to us, the racing gods had other ideas. Instead,

we got to see several drivers battling through the field after horrid starts, as well several different leaders and a nail-biting battle for second. Ok, maybe Verstappen did win, but it wasn't easy for him. Vegas gave him one of his biggest challenges yet this season and it was all so exciting.

As with a lot of things in Formula One, the excitement was quickly over, with an overly drawn out podium celebration that included a car ride to the interviews at The Bellagio and back again to the podium that was quickly constructed in the meantime. If F1's obsession with making this race more of a show than a sport wasn't already obvious, I'm sure people would have caught on by now.

And, that's what the issue has been, ever since the event was announced. Liberty Media are more interested in turning F1 into a show rather than a sport. Media is in their name, after all. There is also the perception that F1 has too many races in America and is becoming too Americanised. Yes, in some ways this is true, but each to their own, as some say. Regardless, credit needs to be given to Vegas where it is due. They managed to put on a decent race that will definitely be remembered for some time to come. It's living proof that F1 still has that all important element of surprise.

Race Report: Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023

Here we are. The penultimate race of the 2023 Formula One season and the first Las Vegas Grand Prix since 1983. Following along via social media over the course of the season, it's been more than evident that a lot of fans, including myself, have been dreading this race. But, all in all, Vegas gave us a show and, more importantly, a fight for the win. Let's recap!

It may be 6am on a Sunday morning here in the UK, but in Las Vegas it's late on a Saturday evening. With cold track temperatures and a short run up from pole to the first corner, this race is expected to cause some mighty chaos. Charles Leclerc has looked strong all weekend thus far in his Ferrari. He starts on pole with Max Verstappen claiming P2 after Carlos Sainz found himself being demoted to twelfth, through no fault of his own. The tyre blankets come off, revealing that the majority of drivers are starting on the mediums, including Leclerc, as he pulls away from his grid slot to start the formation lap. It's all good from Leclerc, who makes it around the formation lap, this time with no issue. Remember last time out in Brazil? He pulls back into his grid slot, the rest of the field following suit. The five lights come on and they're off! Las Vegas is a go!

Verstappen, who get's the better start, battles into turn one alongside Leclerc, pushing the Ferrari driver into the run off. The Red Bull takes the lead. However, chaos starts to unfold in the midfield, with both Spaniards - Sainz and Fernando Alonso, facing the wrong direction after spinning on cold tyres. Other drivers such as Sergio Perez, Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, also find themselves caught up in the turn one action. As a result, the Virtual Safety Car has been deployed. Alonso reports damage to his car, as Perez pits for a new front wing. Alonso also comes in for a new wing and set of hard tyres.

As the race goes green, Leclerc is venting his turn one frustratins over team radio. "This needs to be addressed now, he pushed me wide, so he needs to give that position back." However, despite the stewards now investigating the incident, Red Bull advise Verstappen to hold the lead, as he continues to extend it.

Another yellow flag, this time there is a car in the barriers. It's Lando Norris in his McLaren. Replays show a high-speed incident where he looses control of the rear before settling in the TecPro. The Brit seems shaken, but ok. The Safety Car is deployed which brings the likes of Sainz, Alonso and Perez back into play. Out front, Verstappen is still ahead of Leclerc who is ahead of George Russell, Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon. It's the end of lap six, an the Safety Car returns to the pits.

Verstappen gets another good get away, leaving Leclerc behind. At the back of the field, Perez, Sainz and Alonso find themselves in a good squabble for sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth. However, Verstappen's lead may have just hit turmoil. He's been handed a five second time penalty for forcing another driver off track. Verstappen, informed of the decision, responds with; "Yeah that's fine, send them my regards."

Runners that started on the soft tyre are now starting to struggle. Yuki Tsunoda comes in for his stop for Alpha Tauri, bolting on the medium compound instead. On the otherhand, Perez, in the sister Red Bull, is flying, quickly gaining ground to find himself back in the points and setting the fastest lap of the race. Earlier rival, Sainz, now in fourteenth, is advised by the Ferrari team to cool his car else he may have to call it a day. Logan Sargeant, who started in an incredible sixth, is starting to get swalloed up by the faster cars. He is passed by Esteban Ocon, Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton, over the course of two laps, falling down to ninth.

Back at the front, Leclerc has gained ground on Verstappen and sits within a second of the World Champion. Verstappen is complaining that his tyres are gone. But, before he can pit, Leclerc passes him on track, down the inside at turn fourteen. With that, Verstappen dives into the pitlane, serves his penalty and returns to the track in eleventh. In the meantime, Hamilton makes a move on Piastri at the end of The Strip. However, the two make contact, both looking as if they have damage. "The car's not stopping," Hamilton reports over team radio. It looks as if he has puncture. Both drivers pit for repairs before returning back to the track.

Remember Perez? After pitting at the end of lap one he's now running in second, less than a pitstop behind race leader - Leclerc. But, Leclerc is slower than the Red Bull driver and dives into the pitlane at the end of lap twenty one. After a 3.9 second stop, he returns to the track in third. Perez takes the lead. Verstappen, however, is also flying. He is up to seventh, setting the fastest race lap in the process. After passing Sainz, Verstappen catches up with Russell. He finds himself all over the back of the Mercedes and takes a lunge down in the inside at turn twelve. Disaster. Russell turns in, hitting the Red Bull. Luckily for both there seems to be minimal damage, bar a broken front wing for Verstappen who has been given the ok to stay out. Ahead of the chaos, Leclerc passes Lance Stroll for second. He is back in a position to hunt down Perez for the lead. And, as that happens, the Safety Car is deployed for a second time, while the marshals clean up the debris at turn twelve.

With the Safety Car out, a number of drivers take to the pits. This includes Perez, Stroll, Verstappen, Russell, Sainz and Alonso. The incident between Verstappen and Russell, that caused the Safety Car, is now under investigation, with Russell eventually receiving a five second penalty. The order currently stands as Leclerc, Perez, Gasly, Piastri, Verstappen, Ocon, Stroll, Albon, Russell and Sainz. As the Safety Car makes it way around the circuit preparing for the restart, Leclerc nearly looses it on cold tyres. Luckily for the Ferrari man, he keeps it together and takes the restart after turn sixteen, holding the lead ahead from the squabbling Perez and Gasly. But, going into turn seven, Piastri takes third away from Gasly, giving Perez air to go after the leader.

There is action further down the field with Nico Hulkenberg passing Daniel Ricciardo around the outside of turns three and four. Hamilton, currently running in seventeenth is on team radio, telling them; "the wind has picked up". However, all eyes are on the front runners with Perez all over the back of Leclerc for the lead. He takes a dive into the inside of turn fourteen, stealing the lead from the pole sitter. As for Verstappen, he's on the move also, getting past Piastri for third. The Alpine drivers are also fighting it out for fifth and sixth. Ocon get's past his teammate for fifth but is told to hold to position. Was this radio message before or after the move?

Leclerc is keeping Perez in his sights, staying in close enough range for DRS. Both need to get a move on, as Verstappen is currently pumping in the fastest laps. As I say that, Leclerc gets back ahead of Perez, with a move also at turn fourteen. This gives Verstappen the chance to crawl all over the back of his teammate, making Perez a sitting duck down The Strip, overtaking him before the corner. Now up to second, Verstappen goes after Leclerc. It doesn't take him long however, with the help of The Strip and DRS, he uses turn fourteen as his passing point, taking the lead once again.

Alex Albon is having a relatively quiet race today but his tyres seem to be finished. He looses places to Russell, Sainz, Alonso and Hamilton, falling out of the points in the process. Mercedes team principle; Toto Wolff, comes onto team radio to Russell; "Hunt them down," he tells his driver who is still yet to serve his five second penalty.

Ten laps left to run and, after some encouragement from his race engineer, Verstappen finally brakes the tow from Leclerc, speeding away into clean air. Perez is, yet again, threatening to pass Leclerc, who outbrakes himself into turn fourteen, handing the Red Bull second place. Down at McLaren, Piastri, who has only used one tyre compound thus far, finally pits for the mediums. He returns to the race in twelfth. Another driver falling backwards down the field is Gasly. Hamilton passes the Alpine at the final corner, in what was an impressive overtake at nearly 200mph.

Back up front, Leclerc is back in DRS range of Perez. But, it's still Verstappen in the lead with a nearly five second gap. The yellow flag makes a breif appearance as the Haas of Hulkenberg pulls off the track, retiring from the race. Piastri, on fresh tyres, is flying, setting the new fastest lap of the race - a 1:35.490.

The penultimate lap and other yellow. This time it's Tsunoda with gear box issues. He also pulls off the track. Verstappen, still leading, starts to slow, falling back towards his teammate in an attempt to help him keep second from a faster Leclerc. But, on the last lap, the Ferrari driver goes for it, taking Perez by surprise at turn fourteen. With Leclerc now ahead, Perez holds on, hoping to get P2 back before the finish.

However, it's normality up front, with Verstappen taking the win once again. Around the final corner and it's Leclerc who appears ahead of Perez, taking the second step of the podium by a smidge. Perez has to settle for third. Ocon, in the Alpine, finishes in fourth ahead of Stroll, Sainz and Hamilton. Russell has to settle for eighth after his penalty has been applied, with the points being rounded out by Alonso and Piastri.

With his third place finish, Sergio Perez will clinch second in the Drivers Championship. A first 1-2 for Red Bull in the Drivers Championship ever.

Well, I was very dubious about this race but Vegas, you played well.

Next up we're off to Abu Dhabi for the finale! See you then.

Oh, and remember. "What Verstappens in Vegas, stays in Vegas."

Formula 3 in Macau: A Brief History

The highly anticipated Formula 3 race at the Macau Grand Prix returns this weekend - Sunday 19th November, for the first time since the events of the COVID-19 outbreak back in 2020. And, it's quite fitting that it returns on the year the Macau GP is celebrating it's 70th anniversary; 38 of which Formula 3 have been involved in. However, since F3's last outing around the streets of Macau, the world of motorsport has changed, it's popularity rapidly increasing thanks to the success of the Netflix show "Drive to Survive." This year a whole new generation of motorsport fan will be able to witness as to why the Macau Grand Prix is THE race for junior drivers. But how did it come to be?

The Macau Grand Prix wasn't always about single seaters and junior drivers. The inaugural event, which was held in 1954, was a sports car focused event, aimed at attracting local motorsport enthusiasts. It wasn't until the mid-1960's, after a win by professional racer Mauro Bianchi (Jules Bianchi's grandfather), that professional racing drivers and teams also joined in on the Macau fun. And not only that, alongside car racing, a motorcycle race was also introduced, eventually making the Macau Grand Prix event one of the most famous in the world, alongside the likes of Le Mans, Indy 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix. Ok, but maybe not as prestige.

In the 1970's, single seaters finally joined the frame with the Formula Libre and Formula Pacific racing categories. However, by 1983, Formula Pacific was starting to dissolve and eventually, despite the initial idea to bring in Formula 2, it would be Formula 3 that would become the feature race at the Macau Grand Prix.

But why Formula 3 over Formula 2? Simply, organisers were reluctant to make the large modifications that the circuit would need to host Formula 2. The Formula 3 car was smaller. Perfect for the street circuit, as it was. It was the decision to bring in Formula 3 that made the Macau Grand Prix the staple as we know it today.

The first Macau Grand Prix Formula 3 race was held in 1983, the winner being none other than Ayrton Senna, himself. Other past winners have included Michael Schumacher, David Coulthard, Ralf Schumacher, Takuma Sato, Luca Di Grassi and Antonio Felix da Costa - just to name a few. But, what is the one thing that these drivers and other Macau GP winners have in common? They've gone onto bigger and better things, giving the Macau Grand Prix the reputation of becoming the big race for junior drivers, the stepping stone to higher-ranking championships, such as Formula 2, Formula E and Formula 1. In fact, it would be difficult to find an F1 driver who hasn't raced around the streets of the Asian city.

But, like everything else in the world, Formula 3 in Macau was cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak. It would go on to be postponed in 2021 and 2022. However, the racing in Macau carried on, hosting a round of China's Formula 4 championship, fielding only local drivers and teams. Come 2023, the borders had reopened and Formula 3 could finally return to Macau. This brings us to the present day, with organisers spreading the action over the course of two weekends. The first taking place the weekend just past.

This year's race is looking to be a good one, with a stellar line up including reigning Macau GP winner Richard Verschoor, as he attempts to become only one of a few drivers to gain multiple wins at the prestigious event. Other drivers to look out for include Dan Ticktum - previous double winner at Macau, Red Bull Juniors Isack Hadjar, Pepe Martí, Zane Maloney and Dennis Hauger, Marcus Armstrong - currently racing in Indy Car, Sophia Flörsch - the only female driver, as well as many more, what an exciting return for the Macau Grand Prix!

So, there you have it in a nutshell.

Are you interested in this race now, but you don't know where to watch? There will be plenty of livestreams on Sunday 19th November, from YouTube to the FIA websites.

I, for one, cannot wait!