Las Vegas Grand Prix race schedule, road closures revealed

Race fans and residents now have a better understanding of what to expect when the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix takes place Nov. 16-18.

Gates will open at 6 p.m. for practice runs on Nov. 16, according to a schedule posted to MGM Resorts’ Grand Prix page. Drivers are scheduled to be on the track between 8:30-9:30 p.m. on that day and between midnight and 1 a.m. Nov. 17.

On Nov. 17, drivers will participate in one round of practice, followed by qualifying. Gates for fans will open at 6 p.m., with the final practice round scheduled to take place between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Then drivers will race for their spot on the grid during qualifying, to be held between midnight and 1 a.m. Nov. 18.

Nov. 18 is race day, with drivers competing for 50 laps around the 3.8-mile track. Gates for fans will open at 6 p.m. The race itself is scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. The race is expected to be completed within two hours.

To allow the race to occur, various road closures will be in place in and around the resort corridor.

The installation of the barriers that will line the track will begin a couple of weeks prior to the race, according to Joslyn Garcia, Las Vegas Grand Prix spokeswoman.

No long-term road closure will occur as a result of the barrier installation process. It will be carried out via rolling and select lane closures.

Closing times

Each day of racing activities (Nov. 16 through Nov. 18), the circuit will begin to close at 5 p.m., with a full closure by 7 p.m., Garcia said.

The roads that will be closed during race-related events include:

— Las Vegas Boulevard southbound between Genting Boulevard and Aria Place

— Sands Avenue between Las Vegas Boulevard and Howard Hughes Parkway

— Harmon Avenue between Las Vegas Boulevard and Lamar Circle

— Koval Lane between Sands and Tompkins Avenue

— Spring Mountain Road between Mel Torme Way and Las Vegas Boulevard

— Flamingo Road eastbound between Via Del Nord and Linq Lane

After each day of racing, the barriers will be repositioned to allow for the roads to reopen to the public at 2 a.m. That means the race circuit will be open to normal vehicle traffic during the day.

What effect the race setup will have on the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada’s public bus service remains to be seen.

“We continue to work closely with Formula 1 and their stakeholders regarding their anticipated roadway closures,” said Angela Castro, RTC spokeswoman. “As the event nears and plans are finalized, we remain committed to informing our community about the closures, potential transit and roadway detours, and the resulting effects on travel.”

Temporary moves

Three temporary bridges in strategic areas of the circuit will allow for approved traffic to pass through the area when the race is in progress. When race activities are occurring, only drivers with proper credentials or patrons that have proof of hotel stay or reservations will be allowed to use the bridges. The bridges will be open to all traffic when the track is not in use.

The bridges are scheduled to be installed beginning in October ahead of the race and will be dismantled and removed a few weeks following the event, according to Terry Miller of Miller Project Management, which is overseeing the infrastructure work tied to the grand prix. The planned Flamingo bridge will be the largest of the three bridges that will be added to the track. The bridge will be 750 feet long, run east-west and feature two lanes in each direction, Miller said.

Fans without a paid seat in one of the various grandstands spread out around the track will not be able to view the race from area sidewalks. Although the sidewalks on the Strip will be open to pedestrians when the race is occurring, barriers that will line the circuit will obstruct the view of the race. Metro police and grand prix security will monitor the sidewalks to ensure crowding doesn’t occur. A pedestrian bridge that crosses over Las Vegas Boulevard will also be open to foot traffic when racing is occurring, but the glass will be covered, so the race cannot be viewed from those structures.

The grand prix is being called the first walking F1 race, with the expectation that most of the fans will either walk in from the Strip or from the two ride-hailing pickup and drop-off locations scheduled to be located just east of the paddock and Harmon zones at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, and at Howard Hughes Center near the MSG Sphere zone.

F1 plans to release a Las Vegas Grand Prix smartphone app ahead of the race to help racegoers get to the designated entry/exit areas for the spectator zone at which they purchased a seat.

Fans will be allowed to have clear bags that do not exceed 12 by 6 by 12 inches, small bags and fanny packs that do not exceed 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches and diaper bags in the spectator zones.

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.