The F1 Grand Prix took place in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 19th 2023. 10 teams and 20 drivers with 2 drivers on each team fought to be on pole. The drivers had to complete 50 laps around the Vegas track. Drivers such as Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, and Sergio Perez raced almost the whole time right on each other’s tails fighting to be number one.
During the third lap of the 50 lap race, Mclaren driver Lando Norris lost grip of his tires and crashed into a wall leading to him retiring the race early and a safety car being brought in early. Drivers from the same team Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell stayed behind each other at 7th and 8th place the whole time so no one could pass them and so they could get team points. The only way you can get team points is by being in the top 10 and having no penalties that affect your time.
10 times in a row Red Bull driver Max Verstappen took a 5 second penalty at the start of the race because he did not follow the yellow flag warning and followed behind the safety car. Many thought this would lead to his downfall at the end of the race but at the end it didn’t affect him as he got first place anyways. The rest of the 19 drivers excluding Lando Norris were competing to be on pole but the race for a pole position was really against the three drivers Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, and Sergio Perez. The last 10 laps of the race was a competition between the three as it was very tense with Max and Sergio being on the same team.
In the very last lap Sergio Perez was in 2nd pole position with Charles Leclerc 1.2 seconds behind him and Max Verstappen 2 seconds ahead of him. Charles managed to sprint 2 seconds ahead on the 17th corner and last turn before finishing, and ultimately passing Perez and coming in 2nd place in pole position leaving Perez to be third. All went well after the race as the three top drivers claimed their podium at the Vegas Grand Prix. Lando Norris also turned out okay after being evaluated at the local hospital with no serious injuries just in shock.
This year was the first Grand Prix at Vegas since 1982, according to drivers it was one of the best Grand Prixs of the year so far.