F1 News: George Russell Casts Doubt On Las Vegas GP Circuit's Racing Potential

George Russell expressed doubts about the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit's ability to facilitate close racing, citing concerns over its simplistic layout and the limited effectiveness of Drag Reduction Systems for overtaking.

George Russell recently voiced concerns regarding the potential for close racing at the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix, questioning the effectiveness of the circuit's design. Despite the circuit's long straights, which were expected to facilitate overtaking, Russell remains sceptical about the track's ability to produce the desired lively race.

Key Takeaways:

• Many drivers, including George Russell, have labelled the Las Vegas Strip Circuit as simplistic, especially when compared to other iconic F1 tracks. This simplicity, they fear, may not contribute to the exciting racing experience fans expect.
• Despite the circuit featuring long straights, Russell highlighted concerns about low downforce configurations and the limited effectiveness of Drag Reduction Systems (DRS). He compared the impact of DRS on this track unfavourably with others, like Barcelona, suggesting that overtaking might be more challenging than anticipated.
• Russell contrasted the Las Vegas circuit with revered tracks like Silverstone, Suzuka, and Monaco. Meanwhile, his teammate Lewis Hamilton drew parallels with the Baku City Circuit, expressing hope that the Las Vegas GP might emulate Baku's exciting racing dynamics.

George Russell's apprehensions about the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit highlight a growing tension in Formula 1 between modernising the sport and preserving the essence of traditional racing. While new circuits aim to attract a broader audience with features like long straights for overtaking, there's an underlying fear that these might not translate into the thrilling race experiences that have defined F1's legacy.

Russell's states:

“For the 20 drivers it’s not going to be the most enjoyable circuit we’ve driven in the whole season.

“But this is a sport that millions and millions of people tune in every single week to watch and probably the majority of people understands what a great race is and overtaking and battles.

“But only probably the diehard fans can really appreciate the greatness of a circuit like Silverstone or Suzuka or Monaco. So times are definitely changing and I think we just have to embrace it, really.

“It’s definitely not going to be an iconic circuit in terms of its layout. I think it’s been designed to try to enhance racing. [But] I’m not too sure how good the race is going to be.

“Of course there’s big, long straights, but because we’re all on minimum downforce the slipstream effect won’t be that great. The DRS I think is worth about one tenth per straight. When you compare that to someone like Barcelona, it’s worth six tenths on the straight.

“So it may not actually be as straightforward as one may think to race.”

Lewis Hamilton's comments add another layer, hinting at an optimistic outlook. Hamilton's reference to the Baku City Circuit - known for its exciting races - as a benchmark for the Las Vegas GP suggests a hope that the new track could still deliver on its promise of an exhilarating race. 

“From a racer’s perspective, you want to have the best show,” he said.

“If the race track provides races like, for example, Baku – which is in terms of racing is one of the best races, lots of overtaking – that would be amazing. Rather than just one car disappearing and cars [are] not overtaking, for example.”