The start time of the Las Vegas Grand Prix has been brought forwards by two hours to 20:00 local time for the 2025 editions, which means the race will now start at 04:00 in the UK.
This is a departure from the first two races held on the city’s Strip Circuit street track, which marked Vegas’s return to the F1 calendar following a 41-year absence, with the 2023 event and the 2024 follow-up both starting at 22:00.
The change brings Vegas into line with other night races on the current schedule, as like in 2024 the Jeddah and Singapore races will again commence at 20:00 – per a document distributed by the FIA on Monday.
The significantly later start for the Vegas action in the last two years was partly intended to minimise disruption for the host city, where large swathes of the streets around the famous Las Vegas Boulevard must be partially closed in the run up to the event and then fully closed on track days.
Like in 2023 and 2024, for Vegas the action starts on Thursday, with the GP taking place on Saturday night.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
But this different scheduling to typical F1 weekends is not taking place for the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races in 2025, as part of the calendar switch for these races to be run later in the season this time around.
This is due to Ramadan happening throughout March, with Australia – where the race will start at 15:00 local time and 04:00 in the UK – regaining its traditional place as season opener for the first time since its lost 2020 race at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The start time change for the Vegas race means its new start time provides a better east coast timezone slot for viewers in that part of the United States, where previously they were joining Europe in viewing the race in the early hours of Sunday.
A better start time on the east coast is also beneficial for F1 in attracting coverage from the major media organisations in that region, which is understood to have at least partly factored into the race start time change.
At the 2023 Vegas race, which was embarrassingly disrupted for organisers early on due to the loose water valve cover being struck by then-Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, an estimated final track creation time went from 2.5 hours to around 45 minutes, but despite this progress the 22:00 start time was preserved for last year’s race, won by Mercedes’ George Russell.
In a statement provided to Motorsport.com, a spokesperson for the LVGP said: “This adjustment is based on feedback, insights and experience from the first two races, expanding opportunities for fans to explore the destination and continuing to engage with more fans across the US.
“Details on the event and road closure schedules will be shared in the coming months.”
The rest of the start times for the other 23 races commence in the same slots as their 2024 events.
The British GP at Silverstone while take place at 15:00 local time, which means the race will take place an hour later than other European events for fans and viewers in the UK, with the same shift for those watching on the continent.
