Formula 1’s return to Las Vegas has not been easy, and the path has been littered with off-track obstacles, many of which are due to the track’s resurfacing. Since the cars are expected to reach speeds above 200 mph, the tarmac should be able to handle that kind of force. However, no one was expecting to be so worried about the track temperatures before the weekend had even begun!

While the drivers are no strangers to resurfaced track surfaces, the combination of freshly laid asphalt along with the ice-cold temperatures of Las Vegas could be deadly! Teams such as Mercedes have already spoken out about the risks that these variables pose unknown threats, and Carlos Sainz is at his wit’s end with the challenge of a night race.

Things get too ‘strange’ for Carlos Sainz at the Las Vegas GP

In the Las Vegas GP preview video posted by Ferrari on their YouTube channel, Carlos Sainz was asked about his thoughts on the race being on Saturday night. Unlike Bahrain where the weather allows for the moon to be out during the race, the choice to do so in Sin City left Carlos Sainz confused, “It will be a strange timing to race at because the temperatures I’ve heard are gonna be strange at that time.”

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The temperature is expected to drop to around 12-16 degrees Celcius during the sessions, which means the cars are entering unprecedented territory. He added, “I dont know, there’s a lot of things that we will have to adapt to not only the time but also the new track and a different layout also compared to what we are used to. Street track, which always makes things more challenging so yeah, plenty of things to adapt to.”

Earlier, former Ferrari manager, Peter Windsor, had shared his thoughts on Ferrari’s chances in Sin City because the street circuit is expected to require a setup similar to Monza. This could mean that the SF23 could squash the Smooth Operator’s issues with the timing of the race.

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It is crucial to remember that there are only 20 points between Mercedes in 2nd and Ferrari in 3rd in the constructor’s standings. Sainz would want to overcome his worries to help the Tifosi in their time of need. However, the Spaniard just can’t seem to catch a break.

Sin City could become Spin City

The Spaniard also reflected on missing out on scouting the track layout before the race. Whilst drivers usually do this to get a better idea of what to expect, the Maranello maestro was late. Sainz reflected in the FIA press conference, “Honestly, I haven’t done the track walk, because the timings are just weird this weekend. And I don’t know when the track is fully free. We kind of missed it a bit. But I’ve done plenty of laps on the simulator.”

He might have clocked in hours on the sim, but it’s crucial to get an idea of how a vehicle would perform in real life which is what Sainz is waiting for as he shared, “And yeah, also looking forward to seeing a bit the Safety Car going around later this evening to see how much dust there is on track. The bumps. Sometimes when you see a Safety Car, you can actually get a bit of a feeling of how a slippery is going to be out there.”

When the F1 cars did laps around the Vegas Strip in 2022 for the exhibition, the slipper scene looked exactly like what most teams are expecting the 202 Las Vegas GP to be. However, the FIA has made sure to include enough run-offs so the temperatures aren’t too punishing.

But is anyone prepared for the real-life track conditions? Or is the gamble going to cost the teams too much? Stay tuned to find out as the circus makes its way to Sin City!

WATCH THIS STORY: Rich History of F1 races in Las Vegas Throughout the Years