F1 Las Vegas GP hit by temperature fears | Pirelli: “Step into the unknown”

Current forecasts suggest that temperatures could drop as low as 6°C / 43°F for next weekend’s extravaganza, according to the Williams F1 team. That's just 1ºC above the coldest-ever grand prix.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix will begin on Saturday night in local time (that’s 6am Sunday morning in the UK).

Therefore the daytime desert heat will quickly turn into a chill, when the race starts.

The last time that Formula 1 visited Nevada, for the 1981 and 1982 Caesars Palace Grands Prix, the heat caused several drivers to suffer with exhaustion.

This time around, the challenge will be completely different as F1 teams figure out a brand-new track surface amid the cold.

Mario Isola, Motorsport Director for Pirelli, said: “It is a step into the unknown, for everybody I believe.

“Las Vegas will be cold, it’s a street circuit. We decided to use the three softest compounds in the range to try to generate grip. 

“I can imagine a lot of track evolution and very low grip.

“But it's a big unknown. Fast track, long straights, high speed and all conditions that are quite difficult to manage.”

What was the coldest-ever F1 grand prix?

The 1978 Canadian Grand Prix, held in Montreal in October, is officially the coldest-ever grand prix.

Temperatures plummeted to 5ºC / 41ºF amid snowy weather.

Drivers on the podium were wrapped in coats.

In 2020, the grands prix in Germany and Turkey had temperatures of approximately 10°C / 50°F.