F1's second-longest track is also one of its fastest, with cars set to be at full throttle – and working their engines to the limit – for around 85% of the time. Lap times are tipped to be around the 1m30s mark.
On paper, it should suit Red Bull but with sessions running late into the night, lower temperatures could make things tricky and the fact that grip levels will be constantly changing means teams will have to be sharp to come out on top.
FIRST PRACTICE
Opening practice will be more interesting than usual, as the track will have very little rubber on its surface and the drivers will be experimenting with their lines, finding out where to push the limits.
That will take place on Thursday at 8:30pm and although temperatures will be more normal, the lap times will keep falling as more rubber goes down. Despite the high unpredictability, though, Verstappen is still 1.61 to top the times.
The two Ferraris are next up with Charles Leclerc at 6.00 and Carlos Sainz 7.00, while Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are 13.00 and 17.00 for Mercedes and McLaren are relative outsiders at 13.00 – odds that could be good value.
POLE PERFORMANCE
The track is likely to get faster and faster as more rubber goes down, but in the colder conditions expected for qualifying the tarmac should also get warmer and grippier throughout the session as the running heats it up.
Some teams' cars are better than others at warming their tyres – the McLaren is one that has traditionally done so – while some drivers have a more aggressive style that also puts more temperature into the tyres.
Verstappen is 1.44 to claim pole, while Ferrari is next favoured with Charles Leclerc at 6.40 and Carlos Sainz 8.40. If the McLaren does prove good at warming the tyres, and that has a notable effect, Norris is good value at 11.00.
Mercedes had an awful time at the last race, but they often bounce back from that type of performance. If they do, Hamilton is at 13.00 for pole – although he has only had one pole this year, and that was on the slow Hungary track.
PODIUM POTENTIAL
One of the most similar circuits to Las Vegas is Baku. This year, that saw Sergio Perez lead a 1-2 finish for Red Bull. Temperatures, however, were 5-10 degrees higher than expected in Vegas.
The Mexican driver's smooth style may not be helpful on the low-grip track, so Verstappen is once again the firm favourite for victory at odds of 1.28 with Perez, in contrast, all the way down at 19.00.
Lando Norris is second favourite for the win at 9.40 and 1.50 for the podium, while Leclerc is next up in the Ferrari at a rather generous 17.00, or 2.37 for a top-three finish.
Fernando Alonso was on the podium at the last race, but he is the least fancied front-runner to do so here at 10.00. The unpredictable conditions could make it worth backing him again, or looking even further outside the podium regulars.
The two Alpine drivers, for example, have both been on the podium once this year and they are at 150.00 to do so in Las Vegas, while most of the rest of the field are 250.00 long-shots.
POINTS PLAYERS
The track has several pinch points where fast straights flow into tight corners, creating a high chance of incidents, accidents, safety cars, stoppages and re-starts. That means the potential for a points finish is relatively wide open.
AlphaTauri has finished in the points in all of the last three races and both their drivers are at 3.45 to continue that run this weekend. Williams has two points finishes from three, all scored by Alex Albon, and he is at 1.61 for another.
The Alpines are unfancied at 2.48 while Alfa Romeo Stake, whose car performed well earlier this season in the lower temperatures at Barcelona, have the lowest odds to finish in the points, both at 6.40.
CHANCE CHOICES
As mentioned, the chances of incidents during the race are high. The highest number of retirements in a race this year has been five – in Sao Paulo and Japan – while six races have seen three retirements and the rest fewer.
The odds of fewer than 16.5 classified drivers this weekend is 2.19, while more than 16.5 finishers is 1.60. As for the first retirement, Williams is at 6.00, home team Haas is at 7.00 and McLaren or AlphaTauri are next up at 7.60.
The chances of a safety car are high, with odds of 1.18, while a Virtual Safety Car period is at odds of 1.44.
