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The race in America’s “sin city” deviates from the normal Sunday afternoon GP, and the reasons for this are twofold.
This year’s Formula 1 season started with two Saturday GPs, in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, but these were moved a day earlier due to the start of the Arab world’s Ramadan.
But the reasons are completely different for the fact that the Las Vegas GP, the 22nd of 24 of this year’s Formula 1 season, will also be held on Saturday – next Saturday night (11/23), US time.
The reason one can easily imagine, that the GP fits into the general climate, rhythms and nightlife of Las Vegas, is one of two – but it is not the most important.
Indeed, the American Liberty Media – owner of the commercial rights to F1 – has always intended the Las Vegas GP (which is itself a promoter of the race) as something closer to a Saturday night show than a hardcore motor race. Although on the same circuit last year there were 99 overtakings.
There are many who believe that the images of the cars in the iconic night setting of the American “gambling city”, with the infamous hotel-casinos illuminated in the background, are a first idea from the future of Formula 1.
And while that makes tens of millions of Americans interested in a Saturday night rush, the main reason for the game being held on Saturday night has to do with its airtime in other parts of the world. And especially in Europe.
Our continent is home to Formula 1’s largest fan base, and a key concern of Formula 1 and Liberty Media is to show non-European GPs at relatively reasonable times on our continent.
So, given the time difference between Las Vegas (which is towards the west of America) and Europe, if the match there was played on Sunday night, it would be shown on our continent in the early hours of Monday. And so it would be out of luck for the (large) percentage of the public who would start their work week a few hours later.
On the contrary, holding the match on Saturday night in Las Vegas, means that it will be broadcast in the early hours of Sunday morning on our continent (specifically 08:00 on the morning of Sunday 24/11 in Greece) – and that is much more convenient for the millions of viewers. Especially if this will be the match that crowns this year’s champion.
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