Max Verstappen gives Las Vegas GP hope to F1 rivals as 'surprises' predicted

09 November 2023 , 19:14

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Max Verstappen has hinted at some "surprises" (Image: Sky Sports)

World champion Max Verstappen has offered hope to his Formula 1 rivals by hinting that there'll be "surprises" at the Las Vegas Grand Prix - a race which he's still not fully prepared for.

F1 returns to Nevada for the time since 1984 next weekend for the penultimate race of the year. Red Bull star Verstappen has already claimed his third successive world championship and in Vegas will bid to make it a record-extending 18 season wins on the all-new track following another triumph at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

But the Dutchman, 26, knows that he's got plenty of work to do in order to master the circuit which will take the drivers past Vegas' iconic landmarks such as Caesars Palace and the Bellagio, with A-list celebrities from across the world set to be in attendance. "There's still a lot to do," Verstappen admitted after his comfortable victory in Sao Paulo last Sunday.

"I still need to go on the simulator. I still don't even know the track, to be honest. The last time I tried it on the F1 game, I think I hit more walls than I was going straight. So, let's hope that's not the case when I start driving there!"

The 26-year-old also suggested that the cooler temperatures, expected to be around 10 degrees Celsius during the evening sessions, will cause some "surprises" at the star-studded event. "It's going to be very different to here, very low temperatures, of course in the night there," Verstappen added.

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"It's a street circuit, we have no experience there, we don't know the track grip. All new - so maybe it will give you a few surprises. I don't know."

Have your say! Will Max Verstappen miss out on winning the Las Vegas GP? Join the debate in the comments section.

The Las Vegas Grand Pix takes place next weekend (Clive Mason - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner claimed in March that the Las Vegas Grand Prix will be the "biggest sporting event on the globe" in 2023. "We had Miami last year as a new venue and this year we've got Las Vegas," Horner explained.

"I have never seen hype around a race like that. I think it's going to be the biggest sporting event on the globe this year. The demand for that race is off the charts. Of course, the commercial demand for the sport is at an all-time high with 23 races at different venues around the world. So I think it does cater for everything."

Nathan Ridley