Las Vegas GP race boss calms temperature fears as drivers prepare for race
Hamilton certain Red Bull's fate is sealed after what F1 rival Verstappen did
Chief executive officer of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Renee Wilm has called for calm amid concerns that low temperatures will affect the penultimate Formula One race of the season. Wilm has admitted that while the temperature is set to be low, “the electricity and the excitement that will be coming off the track” will warm drivers and spectators alike.
Concerns were raised regarding the Las Vegas GP after it was announced that the race would start at 10 p.m. local time – the latest ever grand prix start. The conditions for the race at such a late hour are set to be a chilly 12 degrees Celsius which is likely to have an adverse effect on the car’s tyres.
The weather will be a considerable change from the usual worries regarding extreme heat at such races as the Qatar GP. And in an attempt to quash any worries, Wilm has insisted that drivers will be appreciative of the cooler weather come race day.
“I think the drivers will be quite happy to not be racing in the tremendous heat that they have experienced of late,” Wilm told Sky. “You can always put layers on, it’s hard to take layers off.
“And we have been working closely with the teams, the sporting department at Formula 1 and having conversations with Pirelli to ensure that we will have a high-quality degree of racing and that the tyres that will be brought to town for this event have been carefully chosen, given the variety of temperatures that could be experienced at night here in November.”
When asked about how spectators would fare in the colder conditions, she added: “The electricity and the excitement that will be coming off the track and just the throngs of people that are going to be enjoying the race weekend together, I think will definitely raise temperatures enough so everyone will be comfortable.”
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The colder temperatures mixed with the circuit’s long straights are set to have an impact on tyres which need to stay at optimal temperature to ensure the quickest times possible. Cold tyres can also result in less grip on tracks and make lockups more likely, which is why teams often use tyre blankets to prepare them for up to two hours ahead of each race.
“It’ll just depend on exactly how cold it is,” Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin told Autosport. “Because if the track is down in single figures, that’s often a region where you go winter testing.
“You do a run, it’s very difficult for the tyres to either get them switched on, or there may be graining and things. And then sometimes you just wait until it warms up a bit. So actually having to sort of race and qualify in those conditions, it will be interesting.”
While Max Verstappen has already won this year’s world championship title, there is still plenty to compete for. Both Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez are locked in a battle to finish in second place.
Hamilton had enjoyed six podium finishes this year and is third in the rankings with 226 points. Perez has managed eight podium finishes – including two Grand Prix wins this year in Saudi Arabia and in Azerbaijan – and is on 258 points.
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