An estimated 300,000 people are expected to flock to Las Vegas this weekend as Formula 1 racing returns for a second year. The flag for the Las Vegas Grand Prix drops at 10 pm PT tonight, with the 50-lap race concluding early Sunday morning—a timing optimized for European viewers.
The 3.8-mile track begins at a racing garage with drivers reaching speeds of up to 217 mph as they head down the Vegas Strip, passing resorts and landmark venues, including the Venetian, Bellagio, and the iconic Sphere. See a map of the course here.
Superstar driver Max Verstappen, the 27-year-old Red Bull racer who won last year’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, looks to join a club of four-time world champions. With two more races to go this season (Qatar and Abu Dhabi next month), the world title fight comes down between the part-Belgian, part-Dutch racer and his British, 25-year-old rival, McLaren racer Lando Norris. Verstappen leads Norris by 62 points so far.
Last year’s Vegas Grand Prix brought in roughly $1.5B for Nevada’s economy.