Coulthard trusts Liberty Media: 'Know what they are doing with Las Vegas'

The next Grand Prix on the 2023 F1 calendar is the Las Vegas GP. The race in the US state of Nevada has not been held on this scale before, and former F1 driver David Coulthard has high hopes for the weekend.

F1 gains foothold in US

It will be the third race in the United States in 2023. The US owner of F1, Liberty Media, has been looking in recent years for the best places for the sport to grow, and the US seems to be the location of choice. After the addition of the Miami GP, Las Vegas is the third US race on the calendar.

It should be a success for Liberty Media, as the company has made hefty investments in the event. The race will be organised entirely by Formula 1 itself. 13-time F1 race winner Coulthard believes the Las Vegas GP is a welcome addition to the calendar. Speaking to Lasvegasmagazine.com, the Briton explains what he means.

Coulthard: "[Las Vegas] is one of the biggest entertainment cities synonymous with big sports events like boxing and the like, to have Formula 1 there makes sense." It is also the right choice strategically: "America has always been an important market for Formula 1 as a whole, but it has struggled historically to find a way into it. … America is the size of Europe, and we have a lot of races in Europe."

'Liberty Media knows what it's doing with Las Vegas'

The former Red Bull driver trusts American Liberty Media: "I don’t know who the catalyst for that was but Liberty, an American company, bought Formula 1. I think they clearly have a much better understanding of an American audience."

It is the first time the Las Vegas GP has been held on this scale. Back in the 1980s, two races took place in the car park of Caesars Palace. So the city is not completely unfamiliar with motorsport, but the upcoming race will be of the calibre the city has not yet experienced. It is expected to be a big extravagant party. The race will go through the heart of the city along The Strip.

When asked which GP he would compare the upcoming event to, Coulthard said: "Well, as far as being in a city filled with glamour and gambling, that would be Monte Carlo. Monte Carlo’s got a much longer history, and the royal family has ruled the principality for hundreds of years. … Putting a Grand Prix in the heart of a city, the whole town becomes part of the race."