Las Vegas has had the most overtakes on a dry track since 2016
Las Vegas managed to soften its difficult start with an enjoyable race on Sunday. It was the most prolific Grand Prix on a dry track since the one in China in 2016.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix has sparked numerous criticisms. The organization and resources used have been consistently questioned. Prior to the competition, a chaotic ceremony fueled the criticisms, especially among the drivers. The next day, Carlos Sainz encountered major issues with his car after hitting a loose sewer cover, ending the FP2 after just 8 minutes.
Finally, Las Vegas saved the furniture by offering a lively and eventful race, although the winner remains the same…
A frantic pace
The Las Vegas Grand Prix didn’t let up. Those who turned on their TV after two corners had already seen the race leader change, with Max Verstappen taking advantage of the better side of the track. And the pace didn’t slow down. A safety car on the 4th lap, a spectacular comeback from Charles Leclerc… Madness took over the track. In total, without counting the overtakes before the first corner of the first lap, 82 overtakes were recorded throughout the race.
This total includes ranking changes during pit stops, on-track battles, and the best restart after a safety car period. With these 82 overtakes, it is the most prolific dry-track race since 2016. 128 overtakes occurred in the Chinese Grand Prix. Additionally, there were seven lead changes during the Nevada race.
Zandvoort did better but with the rain
From a more global perspective, this wasn’t the race weekend with the most overtakes this season. In Zandvoort, for the Dutch Grand Prix, 112 overtakes were recorded. However, the conditions were very variable.
During the race at the end of August, the track experienced heat and then rain, with certain areas being flooded. With these conditions, some drivers spun out, had very wide corner exits, in addition to a crucial lack of grip and poor visibility.
With a race Sunday that the drivers generally found thrilling, the actors should be relieved, knowing that Las Vegas could be on the calendar for at least the next 10 years.
