Las Vegas GP: Max Verstappen criticises opening ceremony as other drivers acknowledge need for ‘extra show’
Charles Leclerc differed from Max Verstappen’s stance on Las Vegas hosting a Grand Prix as he believes it can provide both a show and a race
Charles Leclerc differed from Max Verstappen’s stance on Las Vegas hosting a Grand Prix as he believes it can provide both a show and a race
World champion Max Verstappen was an outspoken critic of the Las Vegas Grand Prix opening ceremony as other drivers welcomed the star-studded show.
With Formula 1 returning to Las Vegas for the first time since 1982, several high-profile musicians performed amid spectacular light, drone and firework displays, before the drivers made brief appearances on Wednesday evening.
Verstappen, who has dominated the season to seal a third successive drivers’ title, is frustrated by the additional demands being made of drivers away from the track.
“For me, you can all skip these things,” the Red Bull driver said of the ceremony, which is being shown in full on Sky Sports F1 at 1:45pm on Thursday.
“It’s not about the singer, it’s just standing up there, you look like a clown.
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“I just like to always focus on the performance side of things.
“I don’t like all the things around it, anyway. I know, of course, in some places they are part of it, but let’s say it’s not in my interest.”
Verstappen’s comments come at the end of a season in which he has been repeatedly critical of F1’s Sprint format, with the Dutch driver something of a traditionalist in his views of how the sport should be run.
Despite his criticism, Verstappen admitted that he understood the strategy of F1’s commercial rights holders Liberty Media, who for the first time are promoting the event themselves.
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“You can look at it two ways, business side or sport side, so I of course understand their side of it as well, but I’m just voicing my opinion on the performance side of things,” he said.
“We are not stakeholders, so we just go with it. I mean, they decide what they do, right?
“I would do the same if I was the owner, I wouldn’t listen to the drivers, it’s my sport, I do with it what I want if that would be the case.”
Alonso, Leclerc back ‘extra show’ in Vegas
The consensus among Verstappen’s rivals is that the special nature of the event, which will see F1 cars take to the city’s famous Strip when practice begins on Thursday, merits some extra glitz and glamour.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso said: “I have to say that places like this one and with the investment that has been done on the place that we are racing, it deserves a little bit different treatment and a little bit extra show of what we did today or what the weekend is going to be.
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“I’m ok to do an extra for these type of events, but maybe it could be balanced somehow and reduced maybe our schedule somewhere else.”
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc offered a similar opinion, highlighting the need for the sport to continue to attract new followers.
Asked about Verstappen’s opinion, Leclerc said: “I think there is room to do both [show and sport]. I hope we can do that this weekend.
“Of course, there has been a lot of show already with [the] opening ceremony. But we must not forget that it’s a beautiful sport but you must also attract new people to this beautiful sport.
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“Then hopefully the racing action – which is obviously the most important [thing] and that what matters to me as much as it matters to Max – then lives up to the expectations.
“So the people that have been attracted by maybe other things and shows around the tracks then are interested in the actual racing and stays there for many other years in the future. I understand it and I’m happy that it’s that way. I don’t think every race should be like that but when you are in Vegas, (if) you don’t do that here you don’t do that anywhere.”
“But we always have to keep the DNA of the sport which is the most important [thing].”
Hamilton: F1 doing amazing job
Vegas’ return to the F1 calendar means that the United States now has a third race to go along with Austin and Miami, which Lewis Hamilton thinks is crucial to maintaining the sport’s growth.
“The sport continues to grow and is a business ultimately,” the seven-time world champion said. “I think you will still see good racing here.
“It’s such a big country, to really tap into the market here and really captivate the audience here we need to have at least two races, the one wasn’t enough.
Lewis Hamilton says Formula 1 can’t be a ‘circus’ which shows up and affects local people negatively
“This is one of the most iconic and unique cities that they have here amongst the other amazing cities they have in America.
“All the lights, the show. It is a big show, for sure, and it’s never going to be like Silverstone. But maybe over time the people in the community here grow to love the sport just as we have had the privilege growing up and experiencing, maybe.
“Maybe the track will be good, maybe it will be bad – it was so-so on the simulator! It’s definitely not Silverstone but don’t knock it until you try it.”
“I hear there is a lot of people complaining about the direction that Stefano (Domenicali, F1’s president] and Liberty have been going but I think they have been doing an amazing job.”
When to watch the Las Vegas GP live on Sky Sports
Friday November 17
- 4am: Las Vegas GP Practice One (session starts at 4.30am)
- 7:45am: Las Vegas GP Practice Two (session starts at 8am)
- 9:15am: The F1 Show: Las Vegas
Saturday November 18
- 4:15am: Las Vegas GP Practice Three (session starts at 4.30am)
- 7am: Las Vegas Grand Prix Qualifying build-up (also on Sky Showcase)
- 8am: Las Vegas GP Qualifying (also on Sky Showcase)
- 10am: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday November 19
- 4:30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Las Vegas GP build-up (also on Sky Showcase)
- 6am: THE LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX (also on Sky Showcase)
- 8am: Chequered Flag: Las Vegas GP reaction (also on Sky Showcase)
- 9am: Ted’s Notebook (also on Sky Showcase)
Get ready for the big one: Formula 1 in Las Vegas! See drivers race down the Strip, and past landmarks like Caesars Palace and the Bellagio, on F1’s newest street track. Watch the whole Las Vegas GP weekend live on Sky Sports F1, starting this Friday with lights out on Sunday at 6am. Stream F1 on Sky Sports with NOW
