The Las Vegas Grand Prix is one of the highlights of the F1 season. Its a special race like the Monaco Grand Prix because it doesn't take place on a designated race track, it ducks and weaves through the streets of Sin City. It's taking place this weekend, with the action starting on Friday and concluding on Sunday.
If you're in the United States, then your options for watching F1 this season are a bit limited. This is especially true if you're on a bit of a budget and trying to keep the costs down. Luckily though, there is a way that you can watch the race for free this weekend.
Stick with us to find out how.
The Vegas Grand Prix
2023 is the maiden year for this Grand Prix. The US Grand Prix is usually held earlier in the season at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas. But for this season, another US GP was added to the calendar and this time, the stars are taking to the streets of the city to compete. It's not the first ever F1 race to take place in the city though.
The last time the sport graced Vegas was the 1981 Ceaser's Palace Grand Prix. This year's race will take place on a street track that centers around the Las Vegas Strip. The city and Formula 1 have signed a 10 year deal so expect to see this race on the calendar year after year.
How Does the F1 Season Work?
The F1 season can seem a bit confusing to new-time viewers. If the Las Vegas GP is your first experience of F1 racing, then make sure to brush up on your knowledge of how the sport and the season works.
Here's an overview of how the F1 season typically works:
- Teams and Drivers: Each F1 season consists of a number of teams, with each team fielding two drivers. These teams are typically major car manufacturers, such as Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull Racing, and McLaren, among others. The drivers are some of the best in the world, competing for individual and team honors.
- Calendar: The F1 season usually consists of around 20 to 23 races, known as Grands Prix, held in various countries around the world. These races are conducted on a mix of traditional racetracks, street circuits, and even some purpose-built circuits.
- Race Weekend: A typical F1 race weekend spans three days:
- Friday: On this day, teams and drivers participate in two practice sessions to fine-tune their cars and assess track conditions.
- Saturday: This day features a third practice session and the all-important qualifying session. Qualifying determines the starting grid for the race, with the fastest driver securing pole position.
- Sunday: The main race takes place on Sunday, with drivers competing to complete a set number of laps (usually around 300 km) to determine the winner.
- In addition to the race points, there are also bonus points awarded for the driver who sets the fastest lap in the race (1 point) and for the top three drivers at the end of the sprint race (if a sprint race is held during a Grand Prix weekend).
- 1st place: 25 points
- 2nd place: 18 points
- 3rd place: 15 points
- 4th place: 12 points
- 5th place: 10 points
- 6th place: 8 points
- 7th place: 6 points
- 8th place: 4 points
- 9th place: 2 points
- 10th place: 1 point
- Constructors' Championship: In addition to the drivers' championship, there is a constructors' championship. Teams accumulate points based on the combined performance of their two drivers. The team with the most points at the end of the season wins the constructors' championship.
- Driver Transfers: Between seasons, drivers may change teams or leave the sport, and new drivers may enter. These changes can lead to shifts in the competitive landscape.
- Regulations: F1 has a complex set of technical and sporting regulations that dictate the specifications of the cars, race procedures, and safety standards. These regulations are updated periodically to keep the sport competitive and safe.
- World Champion: The driver who accumulates the most points over the course of the season is crowned the FIA Formula One World Champion. Similarly, the team with the most points wins the Constructors' Championship
How to Watch the Vegas Grand Prix For Free
So, if you want to catch all the action for free this weekend, there are a few things that you're going to need to do. The very first thing you need to do is to download a safe and reliable VPN and connect to a server in Austria.
The Austrian TV channels ORF THvek and Servus TV are both streaming the Grand Prix for free over the weekend, so all you'll need to do is sign up to one of these services and get watching. Bare in mind, the commentary for the races will be in German.
If you'd prefer French commentary, then you can connect to a VPN server in Belgium and watch the race through RTBF.
Here's a step-by-step:
- Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN, like ExpressVPN
- Download the app on your preferred device (compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more).
- Open the app and connect to any server in Austria or Belgium
- Sign-up for one of the broadcasters listed above and login
- Clear your cache if you encounter any issues
- Enjoy the race
What's the Best VPN for Watching the Vegas Grand Prix?
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