Report: Formula 1's Las Vegas Grand Prix Set to Debut in November 2023

Formula One fans and fans of the Netflix show Formula 1: Drive to Survive will reportedly have another race to watch in the United States in the near future.

Owen Poindexter of Front Office Sports reported Formula One plans to hold a race in Las Vegas starting Thanksgiving weekend in 2023. There is already a race in Austin and one scheduled to debut in Miami in May, but Poindexter suggested the one in Sin City "could become F1's flagship race in the U.S."

Part of the race will include city streets in and near the Las Vegas Strip.

Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported the numerous pedestrian bridges that cross over the main roads by the Las Vegas Strip were "viewed as a valuable asset for the race" since it would reduce the amount of construction needed to put in viewing structures for fans.

Las Vegas has not hosted Formula One races since competitions in the Caesars Palace parking lot in 1981 and 1982.

Formula One is only growing more popular as the result of the success of the Netflix show. The fourth season was recently released on the streaming platform, and notable drivers such as Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen provide the star power and rivalries that Americans often seek out in other sports as well.

The 2022 season started Sunday with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc winning the Bahrain Grand Prix.

ESPN announced the telecast averaged more than 1.35 million viewers, which was the largest audience for a Formula One race on an ESPN network since the sport returned to ESPN in 2018. 

What's more, it was the second-most viewed Formula One race on cable and ESPN on record, trailing just the 1995 Brazilian Grand Prix.

The season continues Sunday with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Last season ended in controversial fashion when Verstappen passed Hamilton during a one-lap shootout at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. It was Verstappen's first championship, but it appeared as if Hamilton was going to win the eighth of his illustrious career until Williams driver Nicholas Latifi's late crash.

Race control elected to move lapped cars between the two contenders out of the way and removed the safety car for the final lap, which allowed Hamilton and Verstappen to restart side by side.

Mercedes protested the race result over the restart procedure, but it was dismissed.