Fernando Alonso slams "not F1 standard" Las Vegas GP track and brutal calendar timing

Fernando Alonso has delivered a blunt assessment of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, branding the track surface “not Formula 1 standard” and questioning the race’s late-season calendar slot after finishing 13th.

The two-time champion started seventh on the Sin City Strip but slowly slipped outside of the points after sustaining damage early in the race. While he dismissed the idea that following other cars had become harder, he was far more critical of the track surface.

“The race circuit is fun, because it's high speed, but I think the type of asphalt is not Formula 1 standard,” Alonso said. “To be honest, it's too slippery and we cannot put the tyres in temperature and there is no grip. It's extremely bumpy, at the limit of being safe to race.”

He argued that the issue now needs to be addressed at governing body level. “So I think for the future we need to talk with the FIA if this is acceptable or not for the following years,” he added. “And then the place in the calendar, if I'm totally honest, is difficult for us.”

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The timing of the race is another issue for the F1 stalwart, with it not only being a night race in late November, but also kicking off the final trio of races of the season. Qatar and Abu Dhabi follow on consecutive weekends to close a 24-round calendar.

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24, Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-24, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

"To come here with the time difference and how far it is from Europe and Brazil two weeks ago and we go to Qatar now straight and it's a 17-hour plane and 13 hours' time difference. I don't think any other sport in the world will accept that,” he said. “So, I mean, circuit okay, asphalt and moment in the calendar, for me it's not, yeah, borderline.”

Asked if he thought moving Vegas to a different time of year would help, the F1 ace wasn't unhappy with the idea.

“Yeah, yeah, maybe,” he replied. “I mean, I think I heard that we do it now because it's the quiet weekend of the year for Vegas, but we cannot do things like that. If not, we will go to Monaco in February, because it's quiet, you know, but there are certain things that we need to think about the sport first.”

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