Formula 1 heads back to the neon lights of Nevada next week for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, round 21 of the 23-race 2026 season, with the race set for Saturday, 21 November.

Both world championships have already been decided, but there is still plenty at stake on the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, including the battle for second place in the drivers' standings and the honour of winning one of the most spectacular races on the calendar.

When is the Las Vegas Grand Prix?

The race starts at 8pm local time on Saturday, 21 November, which means a 4am start on Sunday, 22 November for viewers in the UK. Practice begins on Thursday, 19 November, with the first session at 4.30pm local time and the second at 8pm. Final practice follows on Friday, 20 November at 4.30pm, with qualifying at 8pm that evening.

The race runs over 50 laps of the 6.201-kilometre street circuit, which features 17 corners and long flat-out sections down the famous Strip. There is no sprint race at this event, so it follows the standard grand prix format.

Antonelli arrives as champion

Kimi Antonelli arrives in Las Vegas as the 2026 world champion, having sealed the title in Mexico at 20 years and 68 days old, the youngest champion in Formula 1 history. The Mercedes driver leads the standings on 390 points and has won nine races in a remarkable breakthrough campaign.

Mercedes also wrapped up the constructors' championship at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, completing a clean sweep of both titles. With the pressure of the championship fight gone, Antonelli will be chasing a tenth victory of the season under the lights.

The fight for second place

Behind the champion, the contest is far from settled. Max Verstappen sits second on 279 points, 17 ahead of Mercedes driver George Russell on 262, with Lewis Hamilton close behind on 261 for Ferrari.

Verstappen underlined his late-season form in Sao Paulo, where he charged from 21st on the grid to finish second behind race winner Lando Norris. The Red Bull driver will be determined to protect second place over the final three rounds, with Qatar and Abu Dhabi still to come after Las Vegas.

Verstappen's strong Vegas record

Verstappen has a strong record at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, having won the inaugural race in 2023 and returned to the top step in 2025. He is a two-time winner in Nevada and will start as one of the favourites despite Antonelli's dominance this season.

The cold desert night is one of the circuit's biggest challenges. Track temperatures can drop sharply after dark, leaving teams fighting to keep heat in the tyres on a layout that mixes long straights with heavy braking zones.

What to watch in Las Vegas

With both titles decided, Las Vegas becomes a race about pride, momentum and the fight for second. Antonelli wants a tenth win to cap his championship year, Verstappen wants a third Vegas victory, and Russell and Hamilton are separated by a single point in the standings.

Few races on the calendar offer a stage like this one. Under the lights of the Strip, with the Sphere glowing above the circuit, the penultimate-but-two round of the season promises a fitting spectacle.