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Organisers of the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix have explained the rationale behind the start time for the race.
The race is set to begin at 22:00 local time on Saturday, November 18.
Aside from the fact the grand prix will be held on a Saturday rather than a Sunday, questions were raised about the timing of the race start given the importance of the United States market.
Las Vegas will be the third event in the US this year and is being billed as a flagship weekend for the sport.
The 22:00 start time correlates to 01:00 in New York.
“The 22:00 start time was very much a negotiated compromise,” explained Renee Wilm, CEO of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
“It was very important to us that we allow it to be at a time where our legacy fans in Europe will be able to watch it with a cup of coffee, as many of us do here for the European races.
“And it’s not that different from, think about boxing matches that start here in Las Vegas and are broadcast in New York.
“People stay up to watch Saturday Night Live and all kinds of events.
“So, although it’s not ideal for the East Coast, it definitely worked for the West Coast, it worked for us.
“Local stakeholders, they did not want us doing it even later,” she added.
“They were worried about noise and they were under the misconception there will be people in town who don’t want to be at F1 – they’ve now gotten over that misconception!
“But in the early days, they weren’t so confident.
“And if we went earlier, at 20:00, you’re just foreclosing the European market.
“We did not think that that would be the right thing to do for those legacy fans.”
Globally, 22:00 in Las Vegas translates to 06:00 in the United Kingdom, an hour earlier than those in Europe, and 17:00 on the east coast of Australia.
Las Vegas will host the penultimate round of the 2023 season with a circuit that incorporates the famed Strip.
