Daniel Ricciardo believes Formula 1 should ideally try and “remain accessible” to everybody amid the extortionate ticket pricing for this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The inaugural visit to the Las Vegas Strip Circuit sees F1 return to Sin City for the first time in 41 years and marks the third round to be held in the United States this season.

To celebrate the occasion, the venue held an opening ceremony on Wednesday night, featuring musical acts and the drivers being introduced to fans on raised platforms.

However, the event saw a multitude of unattended seats following reports earlier in the week that tickets were still available for the weekend at a dramatically reduced price.

Originally, the cheapest three-day standing-only general admission tickets cost roughly $500, dwarfing the price points of every other grand prix on the calendar. Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, a host of absurd hospitality packages have been offered for seven-figure sums to satisfy high-rollers.

Ricciardo concedes that a large proportion of F1 fans are being excluded, adding that he would prefer if the chance to attend was available to people from every background.

When asked about the concerning matter, Ricciardo said: “It’s hard. As with all things, you need a balance, but you do need, I did hear some entry-level prices. I’m well aware not everyone can afford those.

“So I would love that everyone can have the option to attend. It’s obviously not my, I’m not the business behind the sport. Maybe, I don’t want to say it’s my ignorance, but I would still love that a general admission is affordable for everyone with whatever job they have.

“Of course, if there’s then some crazy packages and that, if people want to spend that money, all good, so be it. But yeah. I guess I don’t like to hear that we would have liked to have come but we simply couldn’t afford it. That’s obviously a little bit tough. But I don’t know.

“Maybe just this is that; I’m not saying maybe I agree with it, but maybe this is that outlier of a weekend where that’s the crowd that they kind of want to go after, and if that’s what it is, then obviously that’s their kind of business plan. I don’t know. I’m not really sure where they are with it.

“I obviously don’t like when things are, obviously everyone has got different lifestyles and levels of income. It would be nice that the sport remains accessible for everyone.”

World Champion Max Verstappen expressed his displeasure at being involved in the ceremony by declaring that the Las Vegas GP was “99% show, and 1% sporting event”.

But Ricciardo has disagreed with his ex-team-mate’s view of the latest inclusion to the calendar, citing how the schedule will remain identical to the conventional format.

Asked to pinpoint the split dedicated to the sporting spectacle and the entertainment side, Ricciardo said: “Um, well look, obviously we’re going to have a race. It’s a normal schedule. I think if it was a weird schedule where we don’t really get any practice and they send us out there and whatever, I’d speak differently about it.

“But I think it’s… I think it’s going to be pretty cool to be honest. I’m a fan. It’s early, but so far, obviously logistics, just now, we realized logistically putting this thing together, I wouldn’t wish that job upon anyone. So obviously navigating through, it’s a bit of a maze right now. But I think it’s going to be pretty cool to have a race here.”

The Australian admits that he has been left in “awe” that the sport has been able to construct an F1 grand prix that will see the drivers race along the Las Vegas Strip.

He added: “When they said it was going to happen, I think probably a lot of people at first thought, oh yeah, it might be, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, it’s a fair way out. So yeah, Vegas, but it’s not probably really going to be Vegas, Vegas. To kind of pull it off on the Strip is pretty cool.

“I’m a little bit, don’t get me wrong, I like the races where you might even stay out and rent an Airbnb and be a bit isolated, whatever. But I’m also a sucker for Vegas. So being here in amongst it, I think it’s pretty cool. It’s also Wednesday. By Saturday, maybe my answer is different.

“But right now, I’m cool with it. I’m probably just more in awe that they’ve put this together. Last night, we drove on the track to have a little bit of a look, because a track walk at 2 a.m. was a little bit too late for me. But that whole Strip, that long DRS straight, it’s probably going to be the most exciting straight we’ve ever driven on. I’m excited.”

Max Verstappen was unimpressed with the opening ceremony for Formula 1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, remarking that he felt like “a clown” during the entire occasion.

To celebrate the inaugural round at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, an event with live musical performances and the drivers being raised on large platforms to the crowd was held.

However, Verstappen, who previously stated that F1’s expansion into Las Vegas was “more for the show than the racing”, vented his disapproval of the ceremony.

“For me, you can skip this,” he said. “It’s not about the singers. We are just standing up there, looking like a clown. I mean, yeah.”

Asked how much he considered a show and how much of it a sporting event, Verstappen reiterated his stance that the Las Vegas GP is “99% show, and 1% sporting event.”

The three-time champion concedes he’s not enthused by the opportunity to race in Sin City for the first time in his career.

“Well I’m looking forward to trying to do the best I can, but then I’m not looking forward to this,” he mentioned in relation to the show. “You have some races where you always look forward to it a little bit more than others.”

Expanding further, Verstappen added: “Not a lot of emotions to be honest. I just always want to focus on the performance side of things, I don’t like all the things around it anyway. I know of course in some places that is part of it, but let’s just say it’s not in my interest.”

However, the Dutchman did admit that he could “understand” the sport’s continued approach towards maximising the growing interest towards F1 in the US market.

“You can look at it two ways, business side or sport side. Of course I understand their side as well. I’m voicing my opinion on the performance side of things,” he commented.

“We are not a stakeholder, so we just go with it. They decide what they do, right,” he continued. “I would do the same if I was the owner, I wouldn’t listen to the drivers. It’s my sport, I would do with it what I want if that would be the case.”

Verstappen also downplayed that his status as a household F1 name could cause the sport’s owners to consider making changes to reduce the focus on the spectacle.

“I don’t know, I guess they still make money if I like it or not, so it’s not up to me,” he contended. “But I’m also not going to fake it, I just always voice my opinion on positive things and negative things. That’s just how I am.

“Some people like the show a bit more, I don’t like it at all. I grew up just looking at the performance side of things and that’s how I see it as well. So for me, I like to be in Vegas, but not so much for racing.”

Pressed on whether he believed he could make a difference by speaking out, Verstappen retorted: “It’s also not my aim that it makes a massive difference. But when you ask me a question and I feel like I want to answer it, I’ll answer it in an honest way.”

“If someone wants to go in this direction, you want a lot more show attached to the programme, then I guess we have to deal with that,” he added. “As long as everything goes well they can say everything is working well, let’s see how long fans also like this.”

Verstappen also discussed his dissatisfaction towards the track layout, explaining that this generation of F1 cars are too cumbersome for street venues.

“I don’t think it’s that exciting, that’s the only thing,” he noted. “I think already for me a street circuit is not that exciting, especially with these new cars, they are just too heavy.

“When you have low grip that doesn’t help. The scenery will look great, driving through the strip, but the layout itself is not the most exciting. Driving an F1 car is a lot more fun with a lot of high-speed corners, but around here there is not many high-speed corners.”

McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella insists that it is not only searching for aerodynamic improvements from its 2024 Formula 1 car to catch Red Bull.

Since introducing a sizeable upgrade in Singapore, McLaren has registered five podiums in the past six races to emerge as Red Bull’s most consistent contender.

Despite Oscar Piastri pipping Max Verstappen to victory in the Qatar Sprint race, the Woking-based squad have been unable to land a breakthrough grand prix win.

Lando Norris challenged Verstappen through the opening stages in Brazil, but the Dutchman was eventually able to ease away to comfortably triumph over the McLaren.

That prompted Stella to admit that McLaren’s biggest deficit to Red Bull now stood on the tyre management side as the reigning champions could rely on better degradation.

But amid the team’s progress on its 2024 challenger, Stella asserts McLaren must make progress in areas unrelated to outright downforce to become a match to Red Bull.

“We have set some targets, let’s say, but I can’t say in which area and how,” the Italian revealed to Autosport. “But what I can say is that it’s not only aero.”

When asked to address how much of its tyre degradation concerns could be attributed to the aerodynamics and then the mechanical side, Stella replied: “It’s a combination of both. I can’t say much more than that.” 

Having already opted to change concepts mid-season, both Ferrari and Mercedes have expressed that they will opt to pursue all-new philosophies with their 2024 car designs.

But with McLaren’s upgrades this year constantly delivering the expected gains from the factory, Stella believes the side is in a strong place heading into next season.

“In fairness, where you are with next year’s car partly depends on where you are this year, because that’s the starting point pretty much for everyone,” he explained.

“But it depends on the gradient of development. This gradient [at McLaren] started in July, pretty much, and there is such a long period which is just about the work you do on next year’s car.”

Having begun the year conceding it had missed development targets with the MCL60, McLaren struggled immensely before launching a heavily revised car in July.

Stella has expanded upon the challenge the team has encountered throughout the campaign with introducing parts that didn’t align with its initial launch-spec concept.

“The car we launched in March, there are some elements that have been developed with continuity, but most of it has been developed in discontinuity,” he said. 

“Especially when it came to the floor, bodywork, rear wing, and to some extent the front wing. 

“We just needed to kind of go into different concepts and start to get them to work. It wasn’t just a linear iterative development of the starting concept of the launch car.”

Lando Norris admits he is reluctant to be drawn on discussing McLaren’s chances in Las Vegas, having been surprised by the team’s competitiveness in recent rounds.

Formula 1 is embarking upon its inaugural visit to the Las Vegas Strip Circuit this weekend for the first round of a doubleheader to conclude the season.

Norris enters the third and final event in the United States of 2023 having recorded five podium finishes in the past six rounds to rise to fifth place in the Drivers’ Championship.

While it began the year struggling to score points, McLaren has become a regular front-running contender since introducing a revised car in Austria in July. More upgrades to its MCL60 in Singapore further cemented its status as Red Bull’s closest challenger.

Although Norris expected the Woking squad to be on the back foot in Brazil, the Briton bagged pole position for the Sprint race and comfortably ended the grand prix in second.

However, Norris, asserts that he has abandoned trying to anticipate McLaren’s pace heading into a given race weekend.

Asked in Brazil if he predicted McLaren to fare well in Las Vegas, Norris said: “No idea. I mean, I don’t think we were expecting to be as competitive here as we have been. So we’re still surprising ourselves.

I gave up on guessing where we’re going to be nowadays. I mean, probably after Bahrain I didn’t want to think of where we’re going to be. But yeah, it comes and goes, you know.

“I think everyone expected Mercedes to be extremely strong this weekend [Brazil] and they were nowhere. [Everyone] expected Ferrari to be a bit more competitive and weren’t, so I think no one really knows. Everyone just guesses and presumes but no one knows until we just get on track. So just let’s wait and see.”

Despite the glitz and glamour of the Las Vegas event set to partially dominate the headlines during the weekend, Norris insists that his priority remains on the driving side.

“I just want to do the driving, and that’s why I’m here,” he added. “I’m not here to do all the interviews and enjoy all of this stuff.

“I love Formula 1 because I love to drive and compete against these guys and race and do all of that stuff. And even since I’ve started, the media has risen a lot more, but in the business world, it probably makes sense because there’s more money and all of those things, and that’s normally how it works. But as drivers, it’s not the thing that we enjoy too much of, but some perks of it, I guess.”

Williams is one of three teams along with Alpine and McLaren to reveal a tweaked livery design for this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Formula 1’s inaugural visit to the Las Vegas Strip Circuit has already inspired half of the grid to introduce revised colour schemes with more set to follow.

Firstly, the engine cover and rear wing of Williams’ FW45 car feature the ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’ sign and the lights synonymous with the city’s vibrant scene. Meanwhile, the word Williams is also included in the form of a unique font illuminated as a testament to the Neon Boneyard.

Las Vegas marks the third and final race in the United States on the current calendar and Williams currently boasts the only American driver in the field, Logan Sargeant.

The legendary Grove-based outfit was triumphant during F1’s last visit to Las Vegas with Alan Jones winning the first-ever Caesars Palace Grand Prix held back in 1981.

Elsewhere, Alpine has collaborated on a promotional campaign with skate and streetwear brand Palace to produce a refined version of its conventional 2023 livery.

The Enstone squad’s two drivers – Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon – will also be sporting modified race suits designed by Italian sportswear brand Kappa, the team’s sponsor.

“We are so hyped to be kitting out BWT Alpine F1 Team’s car, drivers and pit crew for the Las Vegas Grand Prix: a street race at night in one of the most mental and beautiful places on Earth,” Palace expressed.

David Gendry, VP, Alpine Sponsoring, Partnerships and Communications added: “We are super excited to unveil this unique collaboration with iconic brand Palace together with our partner Kappa. It was a first for Alpine to work on such a co-project where trendy fashion meets sports brands so perfectly.

“The creative process and exchanges these past few months have been incredible and it is with great pride that we unveil a unique livery for the A523, inspired by the desert that surrounds Las Vegas. The team will also proudly wear the Palace Kappa for Alpine team kit this weekend.”

McLaren has teamed up with Jack Daniel’s for its ‘Make it Count’ campaign, which sees the company’s branding placed on the sidepod rear and engine cover of the MCL60.

The blue that accompanies the papaya on McLaren’s standard colour scheme has been removed to produce a look that is similar to the team’s previous ‘Stealth Mode’ livery.

Red Bull has revealed its third and final fan-inspired livery of the season that will be used throughout this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Ahead of the season, Red Bull announced that it would be giving fans the opportunity to design its livery for the three races in the United States this season.

The RB19 featured a revised livery with pink and teal lines in Miami, while it sported the colour scheme and star of the Texan lone star flag on the side of its car in Austin.

As part of the Make Your Mark competition, 10 entries made it into a shortlist and were put to a vote, with Lindsay Palmer’s design emerging as the winning submission.

“Congratulations to Lindsay, who really put Vegas’ iconic stamp on the design, capturing the energy and excitement of both the city and the team,” Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner said.

“[I’m] very much looking forward to seeing it racing around the streets of Las Vegas. From what I have seen on the sim though, that long straight is an incredibly fast one, so you are going to have to keep a close eye on things as the cars fly past under the bright lights of the Strip.

“It is going to be a special race made even more special by celebrating with a fan-designed livery as we head into the final US race of the season.”

The special livery features a shade of purple running down the side of the car and many featured references to the eccentric nightlife scene associated with Sin City.

Those include frequent pink and yellow light flashes, a Las Vegas sign, poker chips and a pair of ace of spades playing cards.

Red Bull has become the fifth team to release images of a unique look for the inaugural race at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, with Alfa Romeo also set to unveil a livery.

2009 Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button is optimistic that Red Bull won’t dominate the sport again next season, predicting that an “upset” could be on the cards.

Having managed to win 10 of the last 11 races in 2022, Red Bull has since emerged victorious in every grand prix bar one this season with only two rounds now remaining.

With its closest rivals from last year – Ferrari and Mercedes – recovering from opening the year with concepts that had hit a development ceiling, both Aston Martin and McLaren have capitalised to also materialise as one of Red Bull’s nearest contenders.

But while Max Verstappen has claimed a record-breaking 17 wins – including 10 in a row – Sergio Perez has only recorded one podium finish since the summer break.

Button believes the huge disparity between the two Red Bull team-mates across the second half of the campaign demonstrates the chasing pack is gradually closing in.

Although the Briton accepts that a period of stability in the regulations makes it tougher to catch Red Bull, he has been impressed by McLaren and Mercedes’ progress this year.

Asked if the competition must replicate the type of innovation that saw Brawn steal a march on its rivals in 2009, Button told Sky Sports News: “Well, you don’t have the rule changes that we were lucky enough to have. I also just think the sport is even more competitive now. You know, there are so many big teams fighting at the front and one tiny slip-up and you’re the fourth-best team.

“So to catch Red Bull’s difficult, but they’re getting closer. I mean, Brazil wasn’t a great example, but this second part of the season you’ve seen teams like McLaren, Mercedes, both fighting very closely with the Red Bulls.

“Max has had that little advantage, but his team-mate hasn’t, so we could have an upset next year.

“I don’t think it’s going to be all Red Bull’s way. This year was an exceptional year for that team, and I don’t feel it will be the same next year, which is what the sport needs. We need a little bit of a mix up.”

In Brazil McLaren’s Lando Norris beat Verstappen to pole position for the Sprint and began the restart early in Sunday’s race alongside the Dutchman on the front row.

Although Norris was able to closely track Verstappen through the opening laps and lined up a move on Lap 7, Verstappen coasted away towards a comfortable win.

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella believes the main performance differentiator now separating the side and Red Bull is related to the latter’s evident edge on tyre degradation.

“I think the difference is mainly in terms of lap time on used tyres,” Stella explained in Brazil. “We have seen that in new tyres, we can fight for position.

“But as soon as the tyres degrade, then it would appear like Max, Red Bull, they can just have less degradation. The tyres were degrading maybe one-tenth every two laps.

“It’s a significant amount of degradation and if you can limit that, after 10 laps in a stint, this is tenths of a second, so I think that’s where they are superior at the moment.”

Ex-Renault Formula 1 team boss Cyril Abiteboul has criticised Daniel Ricciardo for deciding to depart the side only one year into their partnership, branding him “selfish”.

Ricciardo opted to turn down Red Bull in 2018 and move to Renault, representing a coup for the Enstone squad, which lagged considerably behind the top three teams.

But with Renault slipping a place to fifth in the Constructors’ Championship in 2019, Ricciardo elected to sign with McLaren for the following year ahead of the Covid-19 delayed 2020 campaign getting underway.

Speaking on the Dans La Boîte À Gants podcast, Abiteboul concedes that he is still angered by the Australian’s decision to only invest a solitary year into Renault’s F1 project before choosing to head for pastures new.

“He makes his decision in April or May; the world is at a standstill [Covid], we don’t know how we’re going to get back on track, if we’re going to get back on track,” Abiteboul began.

“In fact, I think it’s a very early move, a bit selfish, because in the end, it will have given the team just one season’s chance, and so it’s true that it’s a decision that I’m taking badly.”

When asked whether he took Ricciardo’s choice to abandon Renault for McLaren personally, Abiteboul replied: “Of course, because I can see that it’s a personal rejection. I take it completely personally. I accept it. And I can see what the consequences are going to be too.”

With Renault unable to escape the midfield upon Ricciardo’s arrival, Abiteboul admits the multiple-time F1 race winner struggled to adapt to the step down in machinery.

The Frenchman, now overseeing Hyundai’s Rally programme, cited the 2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix as a particular low point for Ricciardo, whose attempts to climb the order were derailed when a failed overtaking move led to him reversing into Daniil Kvyat’s car.

“The team was in the process of structuring itself and getting organised. We’re making progress, but that means we’re not at Red Bull’s level. He came from the standard environment, Red Bull, and so inevitably there was a feeling of being demoted,” he said.

“It was difficult for him psychologically. In 2019, the Baku Grand Prix was absolutely horrendous, with him making mistake after mistake. In short, he’s completely out of his depth, and that’s complicated for us.”

However, Abiteboul acknowledges that Renault’s marked improvement in 2020, which saw Ricciardo scoop two podiums, even ended up surprising the entire team.

He added: “I didn’t think it would be this difficult in 2019 and, conversely, I didn’t think that in 2020 there would be Covid, a global pandemic that would block us, and during which he would decide to end his contract at the end of the year. I obviously don’t see that happening.

“And I don’t see it happening either that we [would] have such a good year in 2020, all the same, with podiums and a car that once again, by making a few less mistakes, could [have finished] third in the standings.

“After that, at some point you have to bounce back. And it’s complicated because we issue very cold, very harsh press releases where you can feel the feeling. What’s more, Netflix is probably filming the show at the time, so they’re telling it differently afterwards.

“And the season didn’t turn out at all as we’d imagined, it turned out much better than we’d expected. But at the same time, we set out to do something else. We set off on projects, Fernando Alonso [signed as Ricciardo’s replacement].

“I’m completely switching to something else, and I don’t think we had the slightest opportunity to discuss whether [Ricciardo] regretted it, whether we regretted it… In any case, once I’m gone, I’m gone.

“I don’t think [he] could have imagined the car making such progress, and neither could we. I can also understand his strategy. McLaren sold him a bit of a bill of goods to get him, but that’s part of the game. Ricciardo always has a timing problem: he left us too early and he left McLaren too early.”

Abiteboul, who departed his position as Renault team boss at the end of 2020, believes Ricciardo’s addition came too early on the Anglo-French marque’s trajectory.

Expanding on his successful pursuit of Ricciardo’s signature in 2018, Abiteboul explained: “I know deep down that it’s too soon, even if we can’t say to him: ‘Come back next year’.

“That evening, I went to my favourite restaurant in Marseille with my partner and I said to her: ‘Tonight, we toast two things. One, to the fact that we’ve signed Ricciardo, who’s a great driver. Two, to the fact that in two years’ time, I’ll be sacked’

“Because you sign a two-year contract and I knew that this would ultimately highlight the fact that the team wasn’t yet at the required level and that this could potentially be interpreted as a bad decision.

“Once again, today I have mixed feelings, but on the other hand I didn’t screw up my forecasts.”

Williams has bolstered its Driver Academy ranks with the addition of Lia Block, who will represent the British outfit in the F1 Academy championship in 2024.

The all-female series, which conducted its inaugural season this year, will be supported by all 10 F1 teams, each fielding one driver sporting their team’s respective colours.

It has been announced that Block will drive for ART Grand Prix, partnering Bianca Bustamante, who was signed to McLaren’s driver development programme last month.

The 17-year-old began karting at the age of 11 and has since competed in both Extreme E, rallying and rallycross, before winning the Open Two-Wheel Drive class this year.

Block’s confirmed drive in next season’s F1 Academy will mark the American’s first full campaign of open-wheel racing, having recently participated in various tests.

“I am so excited to be joining the Williams Driver Academy and competing in F1 Academy in 2024! This is something I never could have dreamed of,” Block said. “I can’t wait to embrace this new experience and learn as much as possible.”

Williams’ Team Principal James Vowles added: “We are excited to welcome Lia to Williams Racing as our F1 Academy driver for 2024. Lia has already achieved a tremendous amount in motorsport, has incredible natural talent, and the champion mindset and dedication to make a success of her journey into open-wheel racing.

“We cannot wait to get started on this journey together. As a team, we are committed to Formula 1 and F1 Academy’s joint efforts to improve female representation in motorsport, and we look forward to working with Lia as a key part of the Williams Racing Driver Academy.”

Meanwhile, ART Grand Prix’s Sebastien Philippe praised Block’s “adaptability to a wide range of demanding environments” as she prepares to make her F1 Academy bow.

“Extreme sports are part of Lia’s DNA and her debut in high-profile international competitions attest to her talent and her adaptability to a wide range of demanding environments,” the French side’s team boss commended.

“At 17 years old, Lia is driven with a great determination and an appetite for major challenges, that should allow her to quickly find her place on our team and in the F1 Academy.”

Alex Albon is hopeful that the “stars should align” for Williams at the Las Vegas Grand Prix with the combination of cooler conditions and a low-downforce track layout.

Formula 1’s inaugural event at the temporary Las Vegas Strip Circuit will see the entirety of the weekend’s action take place at evening time in potential single-digit temperatures.

The 6.201km street venue features a 1.9km straight and is expected to see teams adopt a version of their low-downforce packages to rival the top speeds evident at Monza.

Albon is optimistic that the track configuration and colder environment in Las Vegas should combine to form the ideal track conditions for Williams to thrive.

“Vegas… the stars should hopefully align,” Albon said. “But I don’t want to say that, so don’t quote me on it! It’s a track that should suit us in terms of its layout but it should also suit us in terms of its temperatures.

“Qualifying is going to be a real big interest I think for everyone to try and get the tyre to work in that temperature. That really won’t be easy, but that suits us much more.”

Williams will be bidding to cement its grasp on seventh place in the Constructors’ Championship ahead of the final round, with AlphaTauri now only seven points behind.

Red Bull’s second-string outfit outscored Williams by 11 points across the recent triple-header, with the Grove side hamstrung by tyre troubles in the hotter conditions.

“It’s quite clear – and we know this – that a weakness of our car, when the track gets too hot we take a dip in performance and that’s just because we tend to put a bit more energy into the rear tyres than most teams,” he explained in Brazil. “So when the track is cool enough, we tend to do well.”

But Albon is wary that a select sequence of corners in Las Vegas could prompt front-locking, something that Williams’ FW45 challenger doesn’t contend well with.

“It’s quite a simple circuit in terms of its layout, it’s quite easy to learn,” he added.

“The track is quite interesting, there’s quite a few combined corners, which are not easy for front-locking, which is not great for our car, but that’s fine.

“The one thing which will be interesting is the roughness and the bumps of the track, how well of a job have they done or not.

“And also, I think in terms of racing, there’s going to be a lot of overtakes, because at least from what I drove, there’s a lot of opportunities, a lot of places you can overtake. So let’s see, but it’s okay. I actually didn’t mind it.”

However, Albon has cautioned overtaking may be harder than anticipated, comparing it to Mexico with the abundance of slow-speed corners proceeding the straights.

“In its layout, the straights are absolutely massive,” he addressed. “For example, Mexico, there should be more overtaking than there is.

“I mean, there is a massive straight. But the way that the Sector 3 is designed is not good for racing. And so it’s so hard to stay close out of the last corner.

“There’s one example of that in Vegas, where technically there should be an overtaking spot straight, but the corners before don’t allow you to say that close.

“Everyone thinks it’s the high-speed corners that it’s harder to stay close. And it’s not, it’s really the low-speed corners that we struggle to stay close, because the front end in these cars is so difficult, especially when the cars are so heavy.

“As soon as you lose the front in the low speed, you’re gone. But in Vegas, especially coming out of the last corner into Turn 1, it’s a corner that’s not that hard to stay close. So I think you’ll get quite a lot of overtaking.

“I hope it’s not too easy.”