The neon lights of the Strip are bright enough to be seen from space, but they’ve never looked quite like they do when twenty of the fastest cars on the planet are screaming past the Caesars Palace fountains at 210 mph. If you’re trying to figure out when is the Las Vegas GP, you aren’t just looking for a date on a calendar. You’re trying to time a chaotic, expensive, and utterly exhilarating logistical puzzle.
It’s happening in November. Specifically, the main event—the Grand Prix itself—is scheduled for Saturday night, November 22, 2025.
Wait. Saturday? Yeah, unlike almost every other race on the Formula 1 calendar that happens on a Sunday morning or afternoon, Vegas does things differently. They run under the lights. It’s a night race, which means the "weekend" actually kicks off on Thursday, November 20, with practice sessions. If you show up on Sunday morning expecting to see Max Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton grid up, you’re going to be looking at a very expensive street sweeper cleaning up rubber marbles instead of a race.
The Full Weekend Schedule Breakdown
Most people think a race is just a race. It isn't. Not here.
The festivities technically start before the engines even roar. Formula 1 has turned the Las Vegas Grand Prix into a week-long festival of excess. Practice 1 and Practice 2 happen on Thursday night. This is usually when the track is "green"—meaning it’s slippery, dusty, and the drivers are complaining about grip levels. Remember 2023? That was the year a loose water valve cover ended Carlos Sainz’s night about nine minutes into the session. Everyone is a little on edge during that first Thursday night.
Friday, November 21, is for Practice 3 and the high-stakes Qualifying session. Qualifying in Vegas is arguably as tense as the race because overtaking, while possible on the massive 1.18-mile straightaway on Las Vegas Boulevard, is still a massive risk. You want to be at the front.
Then comes the big one. Saturday night, November 22. The lights go out at 10:00 PM local time (PST).
Why so late? It’s basically for the global TV audience. 10:00 PM in Nevada is 6:00 AM in London and 7:00 AM in most of Europe. It’s the sweet spot for F1’s traditional fanbase while ensuring the Vegas Strip looks like a scene out of a sci-fi movie for the cameras.
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Why the Dates Shift Slightly Every Year
Formula 1 doesn't just pick a random weekend. They have to balance the global logistics of moving tons of equipment from Brazil or Qatar. The Las Vegas GP is positioned toward the very end of the season. Usually, it’s the penultimate or third-to-last race. This adds a layer of intensity. If the Driver’s Championship hasn't been wrapped up yet, Vegas becomes the place where titles are won or lost under the glare of the Sphere.
What to Expect From the Weather
Honestly, it gets cold. Like, really cold.
When people think of Nevada, they think of blistering heat and melting asphalt. But when is the Las Vegas GP? It’s in late November. The Mojave Desert cools down incredibly fast once the sun drops. During the inaugural race, track temperatures dipped into the low 50s Fahrenheit (around 10-12°C).
This is a nightmare for the engineers. F1 tires are designed to operate at blistering temperatures, and trying to keep heat in the rubber when the ambient air is chilly is like trying to keep a cup of coffee hot in a freezer. You’ll see cars weaving aggressively behind the Safety Car just to keep their tires from turning into "hockey pucks," as the drivers call them. If you’re attending, leave the t-shirt at the hotel. Bring a heavy jacket. You’ll thank me when you’re sitting in the grandstands at midnight.
The Track Layout and Traffic Nightmare
The circuit itself is a 3.8-mile beast. It’s officially called the Las Vegas Strip Circuit. It incorporates parts of Koval Lane, Sands Avenue, and, of course, a massive stretch of the Strip.
- The High-Speed Straight: The run from the Venetian down past the Flamingo and Paris to the Planet Hollywood is one of the longest in F1.
- The Sphere: You can't miss it. The track wraps around this massive LED globe. In 2023 and 2024, the visuals on the Sphere were actually distracting some drivers because they were so bright.
- The Paddock: F1 bought land near Harmon Avenue to build a permanent, 300,000-square-foot pit building. It’s the nerve center of the whole operation.
If you aren't going to the race but happen to be in town, God bless you. The traffic is legendary. The city starts closing bridges and roads hours before the sessions. Pedestrian bridges are often covered with film so people can't "peek" at the race for free, which creates bottlenecks that can turn a 10-minute walk into an hour-long ordeal.
Ticket Prices and Where to Sit
Let’s be real: this is the most expensive race on the calendar.
You have the Paddock Club, which costs more than a decent used car. Then you have the grandstands. The East Harmon Zone is great if you want to see the start and the pit stops. The North Koval Zone is usually a bit cheaper but offers a great view of the cars accelerating out of the tight corners.
Then there are the "watch parties." Many hotels like the Bellagio or Wynn build their own private grandstands over their fountains or lagoons. These are ultra-premium. If you're looking for a bargain, look at the Thursday practice tickets. You get the same speed and sound for a fraction of the Saturday price.
Is it Worth the Hype?
A lot of F1 purists hated the idea of Vegas at first. They thought it was all show and no substance. But the 2023 race was actually one of the best of the decade. The long straights allowed for constant overtaking, and the low-grip surface made the cars slide around like they were on ice. It was spectacular.
Logistics for the 2025 Las Vegas GP
If you are planning to go, you need to book your hotel yesterday. Prices skyrocket the moment the official dates are confirmed by the FIA.
- Fly in early: Don't try to arrive Friday night. McCarran (Harry Reid) International Airport gets backed up with private jets and increased commercial volume.
- Stay on the Circuit: If your hotel is inside the "track loop," you might be stuck there once the roads close. Check the bridge schedules.
- The App is Mandatory: Download the official Las Vegas GP app. It’s the only way to track real-time gate openings and transportation shuttles.
The race is a logistical miracle. Closing down the busiest street in America to let race cars go 200 mph is a feat of engineering and politics that still feels impossible even though they've done it several times now.
Final Practical Takeaways
Knowing when is the Las Vegas GP is the first step, but surviving it is another thing entirely. Mark your calendar for November 20-22, 2025. Remember that the race is Saturday night, not Sunday. Wear layers because the desert night is unforgiving. Most importantly, prepare for the noise. The sound of twenty hybrid V6 engines echoing off the glass towers of the Wynn and Encore is something that stays with you.
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Check the official F1 site for any last-minute "Sprint Race" additions. While Vegas hasn't traditionally been a Sprint weekend, the FIA loves to shake up the schedule, and that could move the high-stakes sessions even earlier into the week. Stay flexible, keep your walking shoes ready, and don't expect to get much sleep. Vegas doesn't sleep anyway, but during GP week, it's wide awake.
If you are hunting for tickets, keep an eye on the secondary markets about three weeks before the race. Sometimes the initial "corporate" blocks of tickets get released back to the public if they don't sell out, and you can snag a "standard" grandstand seat without having to refinance your home. It’s a gamble—fitting for Vegas—but it often pays off for the patient fan.