Formula 1 could add another race in the United States to the calendar in 2023, with Las Vegas closing in on a deal, RacingNews365.com understands. F1 will stage two Grands Prix in the US this year, with Austin - established on the calendar since the 2012 season - being joined by Miami, as the sport continues to grow in popularity across the country. Following recent talk of a third race arriving on the schedule, Las Vegas has emerged as the leading contender and now looks set to reach an agreement with F1 chiefs for the 2023 campaign onwards. The exact location is yet to be confirmed, but incorporating the Las Vegas Strip is believed to be favoured by those involved.
Where would Las Vegas slot in?
Circuit of the Americas boss Bobby Epstein recently told RacingNews365.com that he could envisage a potential future race in Las Vegas being twinned with the new-for-2022 Miami round – which is scheduled for 8 May. "I certainly can see Miami and Vegas being paired in a nice spring slot on the calendar, and then Austin and Mexico City in the fall," he said. "I think together it makes sense from a business standpoint of transferring the cargo, to make it two stops, when you come over to the continent, at least. "For us, I think it makes a great opportunity to bring the cars and get exposure in the US more than once a year." Given the pushback from F1 teams regarding the ever-expanding calendar (23 races being planned for 2022), the arrival of Las Vegas would have to come at the expense of another race – most likely one of the lower-paying European venues .
F1's plans for more races in the US
In the long-term, RacingNews365.com understands that F1's commercial rights holders, Liberty Media, want four races in the US. The plan is to hold one race on the east coast (which Miami will take on in 2022), one in the heart of the country (Austin), one further west (the proposed Las Vegas event) and another on the west coast (most likely Long Beach). The US last hosted three races in a season back in 1982, with visits to Long Beach, Detroit and Las Vegas (at Caesars Palace).
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