Daniel Ricciardo has admitted he had been left in awe of F1 and its ability to make a race happen in Las Vegas.
The circus returns to Vegas this weekend for the first time since 1982 with an all-new circuit taking in a section of the world-famous Strip.
It comes as F1 looks to capitalise on its growth in the United States with the event promoted by the sport itself.
That investment has seen it buy land and construct a permanent paddock building, alongside building the temporary circuit in the heart of the city – a project that has run to around $500 million.
“When they said it was going to happen, I think probably a lot of people at first thought ‘oh yeah’,” Ricciardo began.
“Like, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, that’s a fair way out. So yeah, ‘Vegas, but it’s not probably really going to be Vegas Vegas’.
“To pull it off on the Strip is pretty cool.”
Ricciardo has already sampled the circuit in a road car, driving it on Tuesday night.
The Las Vegas track is reminiscent of Monaco in that it reverts to public roads after the day’s track action has ended.
It means there’s a limited window to complete the usual preparations, such as the track walk which was scheduled for 02:00 on Wednesday morning.
“Don’t get me wrong, I like the races where you might even stay out and rent an Air BnB and kind of be a bit isolated,” Ricciardo said of his Las Vegas experience.
“But I’m also a sucker for Vegas. So being here, in amongst it, I think it’s cool.
“It’s also Wednesday, so maybe by Saturday my answer is different, but right now, I’m cool with it.
“I’m probably more in awe that they put this together,” he added.
“We drove [the track] last night. We kind of drove on the track to have a little bit of a look because [the] track walk at 2am was a little bit too late for me!
“That whole Strip, it’s like that long DRS straight, it’s probably going to be the most exciting straight we’ve ever driven on!”
Opening practice begins on Thursday evening in Las Vegas, with cars hitting the track for the first time at 20:30.
Qualifying is set to take place at midnight on Friday, with the race getting underway at 22:00 on Saturday.
It’s a schedule that has received criticism from many within the paddock with suggestions F1 is putting the emphasis more on the spectacle than the sport.
“Obviously, we’re going to have a race. Like, it’s a normal schedule,” Ricciardo observed, noting the standard sequence of sessions had simply been shifted later.
“I think it if was some weird schedule where we don’t really get any practice and they just send us out there and whatever, you’d probably speak differently about it.
“I think it’s going to be cool, to be honest. I’m a fan.
“I think we realised logistically, putting this thing together, I wouldn’t wish that job upon anyone!
“Navigating through, it’s a little bit of a maze right now, but I think it’s going to be pretty cool to have a race here.”
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