F1 Folly in the Desert: Caesars Palace Grand Prix
by Bodog Casino | May 6 2011
It is a little remembered fact these days that Las Vegas was a stop on the Formula One circuit for two years in 1981 and 1982. Ultimately, both races were held to be gimmicky blips by most commentators on the otherwise storied history of the Formula One. European snobbery notwithstanding, the races did have real importance as they were the last races of the season and in both cases decided the Drivers' Championship.
A Golden Decade of Racing and Dance Music
The 80's were iconic years in Formula One racing with drivers like Nelson Piquet, Alain Prost, Aryton Senna, and Gilles Villeneuve providing dramatic and compelling racing. The 80's were also a bridge decade between the old school car makers such as Lotus, Alfa Romeo, Brabham, and Arrows, and the new school who were arriving on the scene such as McLaren and Williams.
Why Las Vegas?
The circumstances surrounding how the Las Vegas came to host a Formula One race are pretty straight forward- the previous host track Watkins Glen in New York State couldn't pay its bills and lost the race. Las Vegas, happy to try any gamble once, agreed to hold the race with Caesars Palace Casino and Resort playing host along with co-sponsor Datsun.
You're Going the Wrong Way
The track was ultimately laid out in Caesars immense parking lot with a length of 3.65 kilometres (2.26 miles) featuring 16 corners. The total distance of the race was 273.75 kilometres (170 miles) over 75 laps. A unique feature of the track was that it was it ran counter-clockwise, unlike the rest of the Grand Prix tracks that ran clockwise.
It's the Pits
The course, despite being in a parking lot, met all the necessary racing requirements but was not loved by team owners or drivers. The main objections were the searing heat of the Nevadan desert and the counter-clockwise direction of the track. The drivers suffered from severe neck strain as they were physically conditioned to bear stress on only one side of their necks after years of racing clockwise. The other complaint was the intense heat, regardless of the fact that the race took place in October. 1981 winner Nelson Piquet was visibly erratic on the last few laps of the race due to heat exhaustion, and at the end of the race had to be helped out of his car.
It's Not You, It's Us
Although Las Vegas and Caesars gamely held the race again the following year, the writing was on the wall and 1982 marked the second and last year of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Despite a certain amount of drama being played out in both races to determine who would win the Driver's Championship, fan attendance was miniscule compared to the European and international races.
Drivers and owners clamoured for another venue, and Formula One listened by moving the race to South Africa. Caesers would go on to hold two Indy Cart races in 1983 and 1984, but they too eventually moved on to other hosts.
Still A Little Gas in the Tank
There have been ongoing rumours of a possible return of Formula One to Las Vegas, but it is considered a long shot by racing insiders. The desert heat remains as potent of an adversary as it was 30 years ago, although the track would mostly likely be a street course this time around. However hope remains for Las Vegas racing fans- surely any city that can build billion dollar casinos in a desert and sell $3.99 Prime Rib can find a way to air condition a racetrack?
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