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This week, Formula One will descend upon Las Vegas for the first time since 1982, and fans and teams alike will be able to take advantage of the many extracurricular activities Sin City has to offer. However, at least one squad won’t be allowed inside its casinos courtesy of a boss who isn’t taking any chances.
The stakes at the Las Vegas Grand Prix are a little lower than its organizers would’ve liked courtesy of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who has won 17 of the 20 races he’s participated in this year and secured this season’s world championship thanks to his performance in Qatar at the start of October.
With that said, there’s still plenty of money up for grabs as other F1 teams (a.k.a. “constructors”) continue to jockey for position in the points race; as things currently stand, the second-place Mercedes boasts a 20-point lead over Ferrari with two races (Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi) remaining on the calendar.
While the organization doesn’t officially reveal how much cash each constructor takes home based on where they’re sitting when everything is said and done, the team that comes in second will obviously earn more than the one that secures the final spot on the podium.
Mercedes head honcho Toto Wolff subsequently has plenty of incentive to ensure the status quo remains unchanged, and according to MotorSport.com, he’s going out of his way to ensure drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell (as well as members of their sizeable supporting staff) aren’t tempted by the many distractions Las Vegas has to offer.
Wolff told the outlet everyone affiliated with Mercedes has been informed they won’t be permitted to gamble during their time in Sin City, saying:
“I’ve never been to Las Vegas, but we will do everything possible to make sure that everyone in the team stays away from the casinos.
I don’t bet and I’ll make sure no one else bets either!”
I can’t necessarily say I blame him, although you have to wonder if they’ll get a chance to partake after the race wraps up.