SPEEDING ON THE STRIP

According to simulations, average speeds for the Grand Prix should be around 147 mph. The track layout has 17 turns and three long straights, the longest of which stretches 1.2 miles on Las Vegas Boulevard. Here, drivers could reach speeds in excess of 210 mph.

The required minimum weight of Formula 1 cars is 1,759 pounds, which includes the driver, dry-weather tires and no fuel. Even though weight is crucial to speed and efficiency, cars are heavier now than ever before due to safety features like the halo crash protection system. Some parts have minimum weight requirements, like the engine, while others do not, including the chassis.

The carbon fiber steering wheel contain dozens of buttons, dials and displays drivers use during the race, and they can all make a difference. For example, the scroll knob that can controls the brake balance ensures drivers can find the right balance for every corner, and the drag-reduction system button can open the rear wing and give a temporary 6 to 10 mph boost. Theres even a drink button to pump fluid into the drivers mouth, crucial hydration considering they lose an average of 5 to 7 pounds of water weight during a race.

A Formula 1 race car engine is called a power unit because its a hybrid of a petrol internal combustion engine and electric motors powered by an energy recovery system (ERS). Its output is around 1,000 bhp and the 1.6-litre turbo V6 engine runs at 15,000 rpm, compared to your cars highway rpm of around 2,000.

F1 cars use commercial fuel compounds and are required to use a minimum of 10% advanced sustainable ethanol. One race might require around 135 liters of fuel, or nearly 36 gallons. Teams spend around $500,000 on fuel for the season.

Las Vegas has seen Formula 1 cars in the past when the Caesars Palace Grand Prix was held in the early 1980s, but technology has come a long way since then. Audiences here and across the country are more familiar with the heavier stock cars of NASCAR races, but those are still based on the cars we all drive around. F1 cars are built from the ground up. NASCAR vehicles are also mostly based on a template, while each F1 car is built independently by the race team. Perhaps the biggest difference between the two types of cars is the engineit costs around $100,000 to build one NASCAR, where the much more complex F1 version might run up to $10 million.

The slick tires on F1 cars are made of soft compounds for maximum grip under dry conditions but are meant to last only a short time. Pirelli has supplied F1 teams with tires since 2011, changing from 13-inch to 18-inch tires in 2022 as part of widespread changes to regulations.

More:
Anatomy of a Formula 1 race car - Las Vegas Weekly