These crazy things can be expected during the F1 weekend at Las Vegas

For the first time since 1982 a Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend will be held in Las Vegas.

The last time it happened was for the ill-fated Caesars Palace Grand Prix, which utilised the car park behind the famous casino as the track.

A much more refined circuit will play host to a hotly anticipated spectacle, as the drivers will race past the Bellagio Hotel and famous Las Vegas Strip.

While the racing will be on the minds of F1 fans, there are some other things you should look out for during what is guaranteed to be a crazy weekend.

Racing on Saturday night

The start time in Las Vegas is set for Saturday, November 18 at 22:00 local (Sunday, 06:00 GMT time).

It's a long-standing tradition for F1 races to be held on Sunday, but in this case an exception has been made so that the race in other time zones will not take place on Monday.

In fact, three of the next four races will be held on a Saturday, with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia following suit in 2024 because of Ramadan.

Special kerbs

Las Vegas is also known as a gambling city and the organisation has come up with a nice way to commemorate it.

The kerbs will be painted to have the shapes of spades, diamond and clubs on them, adding extra character to the street circuit.

Hopefully nobody will be gambling with track limits...

Glitz and glamour

Las Vegas was always going to bring glitz and glamour back to F1.

The state is known for its bright lights and shiny buildings at night, with some of the biggest celebrity names also set to appear throughout the weekend.

The text continues below the images.

A wedding chapel

It would not be Vegas without a wedding chapel!

This creative idea has sprung up where couples can say 'yes' to each other. When you walk in, you immediately come to the altar.

There is also a backdrop with the words "Just Married" in the small building. How many people will actually get married there this weekend?

View the video of the wedding chapel below. Text continues after the post.

Sphere

The Las Vegas Sphere looks like it was created using AI, but it's actually a permanent music and entertainment facility.

First opened by U2, the entire 112m structure uses 16K LED screens for an immersive experience on the interior and can display adverts on the exterior.

It is the most expensive entertainment venue in Las Vegas history, having cost a staggering $2.3 billion to create.

The text continues below the image.

Incredible ticket prices

Some of the most expensive tickets in the history of F1 were flogged on the run up to this Grand Prix.

Despite general admission tickets for the three-day event starting at $500, and a seat in the grandstand costing upwards of $2,000, demand is such that those tickets have already sold out.

If you feel like spending $5 million you get to watch the race from a terrace on the Strip, 12 tickets to the F1 paddock, personal driver and Rolls-Royce for the entirety of the stay and a stay in the Nobu Hotel Sky Villa in Caesars Palace.

Official opening ceremony

On Thursday morning at 03:30 GMT, the official opening ceremony will take place.

Artists such as will.i.am, Steve Aoki and Thirty Seconds to Mars will make an appearance, while light shows and fireworks will also make the F1 weekend festive. Vegas Baby!

F1 grid dotted with celebrities

The grid walk is set to be a case of 'spot the celebrity' as several are expected to be present before the race.

The moments before a race can always be chaotic as teams rush to make final preparations, while guests dodge the mechanics and presenters with microphones.

Bets on how many times Martin Brundle will get ignored?