The penultimate race of the 2023 Formula 1 season is just around the corner. Max Verstappen has already secured the championship, but the destiny of many other drivers could be decided after the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Sergio Perez is hoping to secure the No. 2 spot, but Lewis Hamilton is determined to ruin his plans. Then there are Fernando Alonso, Lando Norris, and Carlos Sainz, each with a chance to break into the top 3 in the 2023 F1 Drivers’ Championship standings with a win at the 2023 Las Vegas GP.
2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix Formula 1 Odds
| Driver | Odds |
|---|---|
| Max Verstappen | -290 |
| Lando Norris | +1000 |
| Charles Leclerc | +1400 |
| Carlos Sainz | +1400 |
| Lewis Hamilton | +1900 |
| Sergio Perez | +2200 |
| Oscar Piastri | +3100 |
| George Russell | +3700 |
| Fernando Alonso | +4400 |
| Daniel Ricciardo | +16000 |
| Alex Albon | +19000 |
| Lance Stroll | +20000 |
| Esteban Ocon | +20000 |
| Pierre Gasly | +20000 |
| Guanyu Zhou | +42000 |
| Kevin Magnussen | +42000 |
| Logan Sargeant | +42000 |
*Odds taken from FanDuel on Wednesday, November 15, 2023.
When, Where, and How to Watch?
- Place: Las Vegas Strip Circuit in Paradise, Nevada, US
- Date: Sunday, November 19, 2023
- Time: 10:00 PM
- How to Watch: ESPN
Reasons Why Verstappen is the Top 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix
The Red Bull Racing superstar won 17 of the 20 Formula 1 races run in 2023. This fact makes it counterintuitive to think of any other driver as a serious contender in the Las Vegas GP.
Verstappen has simply been driving on a much higher level than anyone else in the competition. He also has the best card in Formula 1, as well as the best team.
His Red Bull Racing teammates have helped him many times this season to break all sorts of records – including the one for most race wins in a single campaign – so maybe now is the time for him to take one for the team?
What we’re talking about is a scenario in which Verstappen’s role in the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix is to help his colleague Sergio Perez win the race. The reason? A win on November 19 would mean securing the No. 2 spot in the World Drivers’ Championship standings.
Sergio Perez In Need of a Win in Sin City
Sergio Perez is sitting in the No. 2 place in the F1 standings. The Mexican currently has 258 points, which is 22 more than third-placed Lewis Hamilton. Knowing that the race winner gets 25 points, Perez could collect enough points to make sure that the Englishman wouldn’t be able to leapfrog him.
Even if Hamilton won 18 points on Sunday by finishing second, Perez would still secure his spot in the overall rankings with a triumph in Vegas. If Perez won the 2023 Las Vegas GP and Hamilton came second, the point gap between the two would be 29 points.
Obviously, Perez has the motivation to win the Sin City race and so does his team. Verstappen might try to help his teammate on Sunday, but this doesn’t mean others will raise a white flag. On the contrary, there are a few more drivers determined to give their utmost in Nevada.
Battle for 3rd (and 4th) Spot in the F1 Drivers’ Standings
Fernando Alonso (198 points), Lando Norris (195), and Carlos Sainz (192) are the three drivers who stand a chance to take the No. 3 spot from Lewis Hamilton. The chance of that happening isn’t too high considering that the 7-time champ is bound to take the remaining two races super seriously.
However, this doesn’t mean those three guys have nothing to fight for. Considering that only a couple of points separate them, they’ll be battling for the fourth spot, which is currently in Alonso’s possession.
2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix Prediction
Sergio Perez is our Las Vegas GP pick. He’s a fantastic driver who’s a part of the best team in Formula 1. Further, this guy has already proved that he knows how to win races – he won two of the three races his teammate Verstappen failed to win in 2023.
Pick: Sergio Perez to win