A few days out, we got our first images of the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit as anticipation builds for the maiden F1 event.
The F1 world is watching in anticipation ahead of the race on the Vegas Strip but early worries were eased somewhat when close-up images of the surface were unveiled and they looked remarkably good.
Away from Vegas, Lewis Hamilton revealed his bickering partner at Mercedes while Helmut Marko has given up trying to find another Max Vertsappen.
Las Vegas circuit comes in for praise
The man on the ground in Vegas was former Lotus and HRT driver turned Sky Sports pundit Karun Chandhok who believes the sport has done well with the track.
“I have to say, they’ve done a really good job,” Chandhok said in a video he posted on Twitter.
“The tarmac looks really good, pretty high grip I think as well.
“Given the temperatures, I was a bit worried about the grip level, but I think the tarmac could be quite grippy actually.
“It’s been amazing to walk around the track and see that it’s all done well in time, no last-minute panics, so very impressive and I’m looking forward to seeing cars on track.”
Read more: First Las Vegas GP track impressions drop with red flag prediction issued
No chance of finding another Max Verstappen says Helmut Marko
Unearthing a talent like Max Verstappen is not an easy thing to do and it appears Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko has given up hope.
The Austrian, who plays a big role in the team’s driver academy, has lowered expectations for the next star in their pipeline.
“Good name, good guy,” Marko said of new signing Goethe to Austrian publication OE24.
“A German who lives in London and Monte Carlo, he was fast in the tests, next year he has to prove himself in Formula 3.”
Read more: Search to find next Max Verstappen aborted as Helmut Marko ‘gives up’
Red Bull tease 2024 design concept
If you thought Red Bull would be resting on their laurels after a dominant 2023, think again.
The team have confirmed that they are adopting a radically different approach for the RB20 which they hope will win a third consecutive Constructors’ title.
“It would be wrong of us to just leave it alone because our opposition is getting a bit closer.” chief engineer Paul Monaghan said.
“But the rules are quite tight compared to what we’ve had in previous years and with previous generations of car, where we could do a little bit more and move things around.
“It perhaps wouldn’t surprise you if I said it will be an evolution of the current car, as it will be a bit foolish to throw this concept away.
“But equally, we’ve got to make some progress. We’ve got to find some lap time. The opposition is on us and if they do a step, then we’d better have a bigger step.
“But [the RB20] carries over a lot of the lessons and benefits of the current car, and then from Bahrain next year, we’ll see whether we’ve done a good enough job.”
Read more: Red Bull release first RB20 design details ahead of F1 2024 season
Lewis Hamilton rivals bickering rival in Mercedes
Crossing paths with Lewis Hamilton is not a fun part of working in Mercedes but it is important the team stand up to the driver’s demands.
The man tasked with that it seems is trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin.
Hamilton revealed that he and ‘Shov’ will get into plenty of disagreements during a race weekend.
“One of my engineers, Shov, will say, ‘You’re not always right, right. You’ve just got to accept that you’re not always right,’” the Express quotes Hamilton as having told Esporte na Band.
“And that’s one of the things that I struggle with. I argue and argue and argue, but then I’ll say, ‘Yep, okay. You were right.’”
Read more: Lewis Hamilton reveals backstage bickering with key Mercedes figure
Red Bull unveil Vegas livery
For such a big event, it came as no surprise to see plenty of teams unveiling special liveries for the Vegas race.
Red Bull are no different and while it is not the major overhaul many fans would be hoping for, they did have a dramatic way of releasing it to the world.
Read more: Revealed: Red Bull launch Las Vegas Grand Prix livery ahead of Sin City weekend
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
