F1 Vegas 2026: Race Week Schedule and What Is at Stake on the Strip
The Las Vegas Grand Prix runs from November 19 to 21, and it is the only Formula 1 race in the US held on a Saturday night. With Kimi Antonelli closing in on the 2026 title, the race on the Strip could have championship stakes for the first time since it joined the calendar in 2023.
Here is the F1 Vegas 2026 schedule in Pacific and Eastern time, plus what to expect from race week.
F1 Vegas 2026 Schedule
| Session | Day | Pacific (PST) | Eastern (EST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practice 1 | Thu, Nov 19 | 4:30 p.m. | 7:30 p.m. |
| Practice 2 | Thu, Nov 19 | 8:00 p.m. | 11:00 p.m. |
| Practice 3 | Fri, Nov 20 | 4:30 p.m. | 7:30 p.m. |
| Qualifying | Fri, Nov 20 | 8:00 p.m. | 11:00 p.m. |
| Race | Sat, Nov 21 | 8:00 p.m. | 11:00 p.m. |
We converted these times from the official Formula 1 event page. The race start matches The Race’s 2026 start-time list.
The Las Vegas Strip Circuit
The 3.85-mile (6.2 km) street circuit sends cars flat out down Las Vegas Boulevard past the Strip’s hotels. Long straights reward low drag, and cars reach some of the highest speeds of the season. Late-night temperatures in November are cold, and getting the tires up to working temperature is the biggest challenge for every team.
For a turn-by-turn look, read our Las Vegas Strip Circuit fan guide. If you are new to the event, our guide to the Saturday-night race on the Strip covers the basics.
Could the Title Be Decided in Las Vegas?
It depends on Austin, Mexico City and São Paulo. Antonelli leads George Russell by 102 points with six races left. After São Paulo, 75 points will remain, and after Las Vegas, 50. If Antonelli’s lead is still smaller than 75 when he arrives on the Strip, but bigger than 50 when he leaves, Las Vegas is where he becomes champion.
Our November title guide walks through every scenario, and the F1 standings 2026 page has the current table.
Why the Race Starts So Late
An 8 p.m. local start puts the race in prime time on the West Coast and at 11 p.m. on the East Coast. In Europe, it airs early on Sunday morning. The night setting also means cold track conditions, which can turn the race into a test of tire management rather than raw pace.
Race Week at a Glance
- Thursday: two practice sessions, both under the lights
- Friday: final practice and qualifying
- Saturday: the race at 8 p.m. PT
Use our F1 schedule 2026 to plan the rest of the season, and our guide on how to watch every major racing series in the U.S. to find the broadcast.
The cold-track problem
A November night in the desert gets cold fast. Track temperature falls through the evening, and a cold surface gives tires much less grip than the same compound would have in daylight.
Teams fight it several ways. They run softer compounds than the long straights would normally call for, add downforce to keep the car planted through the low-speed corners, and ask drivers to push harder on the out-lap than they would anywhere else, purely to put heat into the tires.
A cold tire slides. Sliding causes graining, and graining costs more time than the cold ever did. That is why so many teams talk about tire preparation on Friday night rather than about lap time. Our tire compounds guide explains what graining does to grip.
The circuit in numbers
The Las Vegas Strip Circuit is 3.85 miles (6.2 km) around, which makes it the second longest lap on the calendar behind Spa. Two long straights along Las Vegas Boulevard carry cars to some of the highest top speeds of the season.
The setting is unusual for F1. The track runs past the hotels that most American fans already recognize, and the paddock sits in a temporary building next to a casino rather than on a permanent circuit.
If you are going in person
Race week closes parts of the Strip to traffic, so walking distance is shorter than it looks on a map and driving is slower. Hotel rates climb for the weekend and peak on Saturday.
Pack for a real desert night. Late November in Las Vegas usually runs daytime highs in the 60s F and overnight lows in the 40s F, and much of the on-track action happens after dark.
The upside is that the circuit is right in the city, so most of the trip is on foot rather than in a rental car. That is not true at most American rounds.
Watching the race from the US
The 8 p.m. Pacific start is the friendliest slot of the year for fans on the West Coast and a late night for anyone in the Eastern time zone. It is a Saturday race, so the late finish does not land on a work night.
Session times for every American round are listed in our 2026 F1 schedule in US time, and our US viewing guide covers the broadcast options.
Frequently Asked Questions
What day is the 2026 Las Vegas Grand Prix?
The race is on Saturday, November 21, at 8 p.m. PT.
How long is the Las Vegas Strip Circuit?
The street circuit is 3.85 miles (6.2 km) long and runs along Las Vegas Boulevard.
What time is the Las Vegas Grand Prix in Eastern time?
The race starts at 11 p.m. ET on Saturday, November 21, which is 8 p.m. local time in Las Vegas.
Why is the Las Vegas Grand Prix on a Saturday?
A Saturday night start puts the race in prime time on the US West Coast and early Sunday morning in Europe, which suits both of F1’s biggest markets.
Is the Las Vegas Grand Prix cold?
Yes. The race runs on a November night, and falling track temperatures make tire grip the main engineering problem of the weekend.
