Formula 1 returns to Las Vegas and Brembo can hardly wait

11/15/2023

Third event of the season for Formula 1 in the USA after Miami and Austin: in Florida there were 270,000 spectators over the whole weekend whereas in Texas, there were 432,000, the third highest figure of the year.

Third event of the season for Formula 1 in the USA after Miami and Austin: in Florida there were 270,000 spectators over the whole weekend whereas in Texas, there were 432,000, the third highest figure of the year. This trend is bound to continue at Las Vegas because the event is already sold out except for the expensive tickets in the VIP stands.

According to Brembo technicians, the Las Vegas circuit is classified as a track with a medium level of difficulty for brakes. On a scale of 1 to 5, it is rated 3 on the difficulty index. Standing in the center of Las Vegas, it circles around iconic places like Caesars Palace, the Bellagio and the Venetian and even if it has 17 turns, it should guarantee top speeds that are close to those of the Monza circuit.

Brembo and the near win

In the 1980s, the World Formula 1 Championship was held twice in Las Vegas: in 1981 Alan Jones won with Williams and the year after, Michele Alboreto with Tyrrell. Both single-seaters were powered by Ford Cosworth engines but did not have Brembo brake components. This year, therefore, the global leader in the design and production of high-performance brake systems and components for the most important car, motorcycle and commercial vehicle manufacturers had its first win at Las Vegas.

The 1982 GP was also 128th and last race driven by Mario Andretti who was 42 at the time. Two weeks earlier, returning to drive a Formula 1 Ferrari after a 10 year break, Andretti had secured pole position at Monza and was 3rd over the finishing line. He drove a 126C2 with Brembo aluminum calipers and carbon fiber discs which at the time had less than 50 ventilation holes. In Las Vegas, on the other hand, Andretti was 5th when he was stopped by a problem with the suspension.

14 seconds

On only 7 of the 17 turns on the Las Vegas track, the Formula 1 drivers use their brakes for a total 14 seconds per lap which amounts to 16% of the race excluding pit stops and neutralizations. At Miami the lap time was almost one second slower but the track is 800 meters (875 yards) shorter whereas at Austin, the brakes were used for almost 17 seconds per lap.

On the high-speed turns on the Las Vegas layout, the brakes are used on 2 consecutive turns only on turns 7, 8 and 9 even if only the first of these 3 turns requires at least 1.5 seconds of deceleration. The stopping distances, on the other hand, are considerable with 5 turns that require a least 100 meters (109.36 yards). From the start to the finish, each driver exerts a total load of 37.5 metric tons on the brake pedal, lower than the Miami GP and the Austin GP .

 

206 km/h (128 mph) less in 120 meters (131 yards) 

Of the 7 braking sections on the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, 3 are classified by Brembo technicians as demanding on the brakes , 2 are of medium difficulty and the remaining ones are light.

From the simulations performed, it appears that the most demanding braking of all is the one on turn 14 because the single-seaters come onto it at 334 km/h (207.5 mph) and the drivers brake for 2.19 seconds while covering a distance of 120 meters (131 yards).

To reach the 128 km/h (79.5 mph) needed to set up the curve, the drivers have to apply a 143 kg (315 lb) load to the brake pedal and experience a deceleration of 4.5 G.

And in the video games?

The dark desert and multitude of lights of the buildings in Las Vegas make taking on turn 14 in the Formula 1 video game difficult.

When the ads begin to appear on the Jersey barriers, this is the signal that you must get ready to brake. The right-hand curb starts just afterwards on the same level as the 100 meter sign. This is the signal you are waiting for: brake hard but make sure you are not deceived by the end of the internal wall.

Avoid cutting the corner so that you are not thrown off balance.