Which Tires Will The Teams And Drivers Use For The Las Vegas Grand Prix?

It is finally race week, and the drivers are preparing to drive down the Las Vegas Strip Circuit for the second time. As the weekend draws closer, Pirelli has confirmed which tire compounds will be used for the upcoming night race.

As it is a street circuit, the tire suppliers have selected the softest compounds for the 6.201 km track: C5 for the softest, C4 for the medium, and C3 for the hardest.

Drivers will receive eight sets of soft tires (marked with a red band), three sets of medium (yellow band), and two sets of hard tires (white band). As usual, they will also have intermediate and full wet tires, should the rain fall over Sin City.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix isn’t just about watching the cars speed past the dazzling lights, it also becomes a hotspot for sports betting as race weekend draws near. Fans and punters will place their bets on various race outcomes, like the race winner, who sets the fastest lap, how many pit stops there will be, and even which team uses which tire compounds. The best offshore sportsbooks reviewed by Techopedia are currently offering odds of around 5/2 on Lando Norris, 3/1 on Charles LeClerc, and 10/3 on Max Verstappen, meaning it’s anyone’s guess as to who will claim the title.

As for the tires, Pirelli stated, “The main challenge on the tire front will be warm-up, especially during qualifying and for the front axle in particular.” The drivers will have to strike a fine balance to bring the tires up to temperature without overworking them. This means they’ll also have to avoid lock-ups in the braking zone, especially near the end of Vegas’ long straights. 

“Furthermore, low temperatures lead to a reduction in grip and that can cause increased graining. These factors could lead to a speeding up of the wear process, which suggests a two-stop strategy, which was in fact the most popular choice last year,” continues the tire supplier. 

The 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix delivered plenty of drama, with several drivers struggling with tire wear and low grip due to the long straights, new track surface, and cooler evening temperatures. Although most teams opted for a two-stop strategy, Zhou Guanyu and Charles Leclerc were among the drivers who made only one pit stop, pushing their tires to the limit. Leclerc, who started on pole and finished second, therefore the one-stop is not necessarily the best strategy at this track.

Although a two-stop strategy is expected, it is possible that some of the teams may try a one-stopper to be more competitive, especially if the driver is able to gradually bring the tires up to temperature, which will prolong the tire life. 

Pirelli is convinced that an earlier pit stop to gain an advantage – called an undercut – will not make sense for the Las Vegas Grand Prix and that going longer will be the better choice for teams.