The 2024 season has been exciting, proving Mclaren are faster than we thought, Kick Sauber need to improve before Audi take over their team and Red Bull aren't as untouchable as we thought.
It's also showed us how incredibly fast Max Verstappen is, holding onto the championship lead since the start of the season as Red Bull fight internal struggles and a slower car. Lando Norris' title hopes seem as but over.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix was first on the calendar last year, and while many fans criticised the 'show, no substance' style of the weekend, the racing was not half bad.
The two Ferraris were fastest out in qualifying last year but Verstappen capitalised and came out on top, only two seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc.
Talking points
Mercedes on top early in the weekend
Both practice sessions this morning were topped by Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes. It wasn't smooth sailing for him though, as it was a session with constant mistakes from every driver as they fight colder temperatures and a dusty track.
Alex Albon found himself not doing any running in FP2 as his Williams has a fuel issue that kept him in the pits all session.
There was no dancing in Red Bull, either. They finished in the top 10 in the first session but found themselves near the back in the second. Rumour has it that they will have to get a new rear wing shipped form England before the race.
Ferrari also hailed brilliant race pace, but say 'they have some work to do' before qualifying. The odd proportions of this race track make it one to watch as every team will have different strategies on tires and brake cooling (which is higher here due to temperatures).
Driver changes at Kick Sauber
Both Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou are out of Sauber for next season, as the final free seat in the team has been taken up by F2 star Gabriel Bortoleto.
The Brazilian driver is currently the leader in points and was released from the McLaren driver programme earlier this season to join Sauber. Both Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri endorsed the rookie to get the seat when it was rumoured that he was a contender.
We're unsure where Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou will end up, although the former is rumoured to return to Mercedes as a reserve driver for 2025 after winning 10 GPs with the team.
The Audi team are possibly hoping that Bortoleto will 'grow with the team' as they prepare for their acquisition of Sauber for the 2026 season.
Alpine to use Mercedes engines
The F1 rumour mill was in full swing during the Italian Grand Prix weekend and it turned out to be right, as Alpine principal Oliver Oakes confirmed that the team will abandon its engine development programme and become a customer team.
It is said that they are trying to cut costs as they have not gotten the recent results they desire, though a double podium in Brazil went a long way.
The cost of developing an engine for a season is said to be over $100 million, with the cost of buying one closer to $15 million. The French factory workers did stage a protest at the Italian Grand Prix, though it seems they were unsuccessful.
Podium Prediction
1st - Max Verstappen
Do I think he'll seal the championship here? Yes. And I can't wait for the car journey back to the podium with the podium finishers if so.
2nd - Lewis Hamilton
He's fast in practice, and while that doesn't usually mean a driver is fast in the race, he may try to finish his last three races with the team on a high.
3rd - George Russell
After Max Verstappen's stellar drive in Brazil, it was tricky to look at any other driver in the race, but Russell definitely stood out.
Driver to watch
It's tricky to say with how unpredictable Las Vegas is, though I'm hoping that Sauber can finally score points this weekend. They finished ahead of both the Red Bull cars in FP2, meaning they've got a good leg to stand on going into the race.
It'll make both departing drivers heroes, too.
Race Details
The 2024 Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024 starts at 10pm local time, which is 6am in the UK on Sky Sports.
Check local broadcasters for coverage.
