PALMER: How do F1 drivers prepare for an all-new race like Las Vegas?

When the drivers hit the all-new Las Vegas street circuit in first practice ahead of next weekend’s Grand Prix, it will be the first time any of them will have sampled the track for real – and the teams have no historic data to help guide them either. So how do the drivers go about preparing for a totally new race? We asked former Renault F1 racer Jolyon Palmer to explain all…

It’s always fun when a new track appears on the calendar. There are unknowns from all perspectives. Teams will start working on set-up ideas and simulation from a very early stage because it can affect the development pipeline months before the race is scheduled, while drivers will wait a little longer to get a full look at the circuit because of their busy schedules.