"This will be the iconic race, the flagship race of F1" - Las Vegas wants to be the best in the sport

Nevada governor Steve Sisolak wants Las Vegas to be the flagship race for F1. The sport is set to return to the iconic Sin City for the first time since 1982 for the highly-anticipated 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix.

While tracks such as Monaco, Silverstone, and Spa-Francorchamps have become synonymous with the sport's name, Nevada governor Steve Sisolak hopes Las Vegas will soon own that title. The FIA has announced plans for a Las Vegas Grand Prix starting in 2023 which will include parts of the iconic Strip section in the so-called city of Sin.

Sharing his excitement over the new announcement, Sisolak said:

"We've hosted drafts and also the Superbowl, but the opportunity to host a Formula 1 race is something, and I predict that this will be the iconic race, the flagship race of F1 within a couple of years. That is how well this is going to be received, so it is a thrill to be here. It is a pretty select company to be one of the cities that has been chosen for this."

The sport will introduce the Miami Grand Prix later in 2022, trying to expand to the US where it has generally gone unnoticed for decades.

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What happened the last time F1 went to Las Vegas?

Newer fans of the sport will be shocked to learn that 2023 won't be the first time F1 heads to Sin City, having raced in a parking lot next to the infamous Caesars Palace Hotel in the previous instance.

The Caesars Palace Grand Prix was only held for two years - 1981 and 1982 - and took place on a rather disappointing 2.2-mile circuit cramped in the 75-acre parking lot of the legendary hotel and casino.

Sin City got its first taste of the sport in 1981 which was a title decider between three drivers – Carlos Reutemann, Nelson Piquet, and Jacques Laffite. Piquet eventually won the 1981 championship after Reutemann, who was the favorite to win, finished in P8 despite having started in pole position. Keke Rosberg, the father of 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg, won the following year.

Things are likely to be different in 2023 as the American public is now more well-versed with the primarily European sport thanks to social media and Netflix's Drive to Survive, promising an epic weekend.

Mods for the 16-corner track have already been made for racing simulators such as Assetto Corsa and have been driven by the likes of 2020 and 2021 World F1 ESports Champion Jarno Opmeer and others.