Formula 1 roars into Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS – Racing in Texas and then Mexico City and then Brazil, followed by a quick trip back to the United Kingdom before finally arriving in Las Vegas, Formula One driver Alex Albon could not stop thinking about his golf game.
He felt up to speed on the Las Vegas street circuit after turning about 500 laps on a simulator. His golf game? Not as sharp.
Albon was among the four drivers who competed in “The Netflix Cup,” a made-for-TV golf match that paired F1 drivers with golfers from “Full Swing.” The streaming giant’s first foray into live sports coverage kicked off a week of parties and concerts ahead of Saturday night’s race down the Las Vegas Strip.
“We’ve had three races, been in Mexico, Brazil and the United States, and all I was worried about was this match,” said Albon, who upon landing in Las Vegas played a round with a golf coach and his girlfriend, Lily Muni He, a player on the LPGA Tour.
The match at Wynn Golf Club was won by Justin Thomas and partner Carlos Sainz of Ferrari, who promptly dropped and broke the trophy as he and Thomas celebrated with champagne and checkered flag winner’s jackets Tuesday night. Sainz laughed it off because it was a breakthrough moment for the Spaniard, an outstanding golfer who earlier this year played in the Ryder Cup All-Star Match in Rome.
“Unfortunately I am not progressing anymore, I am completely stuck because I cannot play more than I already 11:25 p.m. Formula One: Las Vegas Grand Prix, practice 3 ESPNU
2:55 a.m. (Saturday) Formula One: Las Vegas Grand Prix, qualifying ESPN 11:30 a.m. Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic: first consolation semifinal, TBA ESPNU
Noon Myrtle Beach Invitational: first semifinal, TBA, from Conway, S.C. ESPN2
2 p.m. Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic: first semifinal, TBA ESPN2 2:30 p.m. Myrtle Beach Invitational: first consolation semifinal, TBA. ESPNU
3:30 p.m.. Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship: Georgia vs. Miami, first semifinal CBSSPORTS
4:30 p.m. Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic: second semifinal, TBA ESPN2
4:30 p.m. Legends Classic: consolation game, TBA, from Brooklyn ESPNU
6 p.m.. Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship: Kansas State vs. Providence, second semifinal CBSSPORTS
6 p.m. Bucknell at Duke ACC
6:30 p.m. Butler at Michigan State FS1
7 p.m. Legends Classic: championship game,
TBA, from Brooklyn ESPN2
7 p.m. Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic: second consolation semifinal, TBA ESPNU
7 p.m. Florida State at Florida SEC
8 p.m. UC Riverside at North Carolina ACC
8:30 p.m. Maryland at Villanova FS1
9 p.m. Myrtle Beach Invitational: second semifinal, TBA. ESPNU
9 p.m. Arizona Tip-Off: Grand Canyon vs. San Francisco, from Glendale, Ariz. CBSSPORTS
9 p.m. Emerald Coast Classic: Tennessee State at Oregon, first round PAC12 play,” Sainz said. “My God, I would like to become a much better golfer. But F1 is taking me too much time.”
As will this week in Las Vegas, which promises to be nothing like any other race on F1’s 24-event calendar. The casinos, clubs and restaurants have packages catered for fans looking for something to do while waiting for the cars to hit the track late each night, beginning Thursday.
There’s a “Shoey Bar” at the Bellagio’s Fountain Courtyard where guests can buy “limited-edition MGM Rewards-branded driving shoes handcrafted by an iconic motorsport apparel designer” and then mimic Daniel Ricciardo and chug a cocktail from the shoe.
Over at the Aria, a celebrity stylist was giving the Valtteri Bottas haircut, 11 p.m. Belmont at Arizona PAC12
11:30 p.m. Arizona TipOff: DePaul vs. South Carolina CBSSPORTS Midnight Continental Tire Main Event: Washington vs. Xavier, second semifinal ESPN2 9 p.m. South Florida at Texas-San Antonio ESPN2
10:30 p.m. Colorado at Washington State FS1 7 p.m. Wisconsin at Purdue BIG10
9 p.m. Michigan at Nebraska BIG10 2 a.m. DP World Tour Champions, second round, from Dubai, UAE GOLF
8 a.m Ladies Euro Tour: Mallorca Open, second round GOLF
Noon PGA Tour: RSM Classic, second round, from Sea Island, Ga. GOLF 3 p.m. LPGA Tour: CME Group Tour Championship, second round, from Naples GOLF 8 p.m. TBA BSS
Noon America’s Day at the Races FS2 7:30 p.m. Kings at Spurs ESPN
10 p.m. Suns at Jazz ESPN 2 p.m. Maple Leafs vs. Red Wings NHL
8 p.m. Sabres at Jets NHL 10 p.m. Panthers at Ducks BSF 3:48 a.m. FIFA U-17 World Cup: Senegal vs. Japan FS2
3:50 a.m. FIFA U-17 World Cup: Poland vs. Argentina FS1
6:48 a.m. FIFA U-17 World Cup: England vs. Brazil FS2
2:30 p.m. UEFA Euro Qualifying: England vs. Malta, Group C FS1
TV SATURDAY
1 p.m. Illinois vs. Notre Dame, from Washington, D.C. NBC
Noon Louisville at Miami ABC/ACC
Noon Michigan at Maryland FOX
Noon Oklahoma at BYU ESPN
Noon SMU at Memphis ESPN2
Noon East Carolina at Navy ESPNEWS
Noon Harvard at Yale ESPNU
Noon Rutgers at Penn State FS1
Noon Louisiana-Monroe at Ole Miss SEC
Noon Michigan State at Indiana BIG10
Noon Coastal Carolina at Army CBSSPORTS
2:30 p.m. Utah at Arizona PAC12
3 p.m. Duke at Virginia CW/WTVX
3 p.m. Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Texas Southern WHDT17
3:30 p.m Wake Forest at Notre Dame NBC
3:30 p.m. Georgia at Tennessee CBS
3:30 p.m. UCLA at USC ABC
3:30 p.m. North Carolina at Clemson ESPN
3:30 p.m. Louisiana at Troy NFL
3:30 p.m. Bethune-Cookman vs. Florida A&M, from Orlando ESPNU
3:30 p.m. Illinois at Iowa FS1
3:30 p.m. UNLV at Air Force CBSSPORTS
3:30 p.m. NC State at Virginia Tech ACC
4 p.m. Oregon at Arizona State FOX
4 p.m. Minnesota at Ohio State BIG10
5 p.m. UCF at Texas Tech FS2
6:30 p.m. North Alabama at Florida State CW/ WTVX
6:30 p.m. California at Stanford PAC12
7 p.m. Kansas State at Kansas FS1
7 p.m. Boise State at Utah State CBSSPORTS 7:30 p.m. Nebraska at Wisconsin NBC
7:30 p.m. Washington at Oregon State ABC
7:30 p.m. Florida at Missouri ESPN
7:30 p.m. Florida International which is presumably a version of the mullet the Finnish driver has been rocking all season. Bottas and Alfa Romeo teammate Zhou Guanyu were scheduled to stop by.
Ferrari has a pop-up boutique at the Bellagio, the Chandelier Bar in the Cosmopolitan is offering special drinks and show cars are everywhere – from baggage claim at the Las Vegas airport to multiple casinos along the Strip. Photo opportunities abound.
Hell’s Kitchen in Caesars Palace has a special dinner with chef Gordon Ramsay, who will discuss his love of F1 during the four-course, $500 meal. Nobu has a sushi demonstration with chef Nobu Matsuhisa and a meal of toro, A5 wagyu, caviar and cocktails for $500. STK in the Cosmopolitan is offering “The Full Throttle Cocktail” for $32 in a
at Arkansas ESPNU 7:30 p.m. Kentucky at South Carolina SEC
8 p.m. Texas at Iowa
State FOX
8 p.m. Georgia State at LSU ESPN2
8 p.m. Syracuse at Georgia Tech ACC
8 p.m. Texas at Iowa
State FOX
10:30 p.m. New Mexico at Fresno State FS1
10:30 p.m. San Diego State at San Jose State CBSSPORTS 9:30 a.m. NCAA Championship, from Earlysville, Va. ESPNU 2 a.m. DP World Tour Champions, third round, from Dubai, UAE GOLF 8 a.m Ladies Euro Tour: Mallorca Open, final round GOLF
1 p.m. PGA Tour: RSM Classic, third round, from Sea Island, Ga. GOLF 3 p.m. LPGA Tour: CME Group Tour Championship, third round, from Naples GOLF 8 p.m. Heat at Bulls BSS 8 p.m. Mavericks at Bucks NBA 11 a.m. Wild vs. Senators NHL
7 p.m. Islanders at Flames NHL 3:48 a.m. FIFA U-17 World Cup: New Zealand vs. Mexico FS2
3:50 a.m. FIFA U-17 World Cup: Germany vs. Venezuela FS1
6:48 a.m. FIFA U-17 World Cup: Burkina Faso vs. Korea Republic FS2
6:50 a.m. FIFA U-17 World Cup: United States vs. France FS1
8:30 a.m. FA Women’s Super League: Chelsea vs. Liverpool CBSSPORTS 8:55 a.m. UEFA Euro Qualifying: Armenia vs. Wales, Group D FS1
11:50 a.m. UEFA Euro Qualifying: Latvia vs. Croatia, Group D FS2
2:30 p.m. UEFA Euro Qualifying: Netherlands vs. Ireland, Group B FS2
TV SUNDAY
souvenir cup. Bravo fan? Vanderpump à Paris is showcasing A Very Vanderpump Brunch, with a special menu, Vanderpump-branded rosé and an appearance by Lisa Vanderpump for $250.
It’s unlike anything the drivers have seen even in the sleek, upscale world that is Formula One.
“There’s such a big hype, but personally, I underestimated how big this whole thing was going to be,” said Alpine driver Pierre Gasly. “There’s people everywhere. The location is fabulous. The Sphere in the background? I can’t stop staring at it.”
The Sphere, at 366-feet tall and 516feet wide, opened in September and is billed as the world’s largest spherical structure. It has a massively bright exterior LED screen that will be on all week, including during the race itself.
Joel Fisher, executive vice president for marquee events and operations for MSG Entertainment, said The Sphere team worked with F1 on what colors can’t be displayed during the race to avoid distractions.
Sainz wondered if he could have an image of McLaren driver Lando Norris wearing a dress displayed during the race in an effort to distract his close friend. Fisher said no, the images will be of driver cards, statistics, F1 helmets, graphics and more. The race will feature content created exclusively by Sphere Studios.
Aston Martin has partnered with The Sphere for the biggest marketing push in team history as the luxury brand will display its cars on the landmark. The Sphere itself is closed to the public all weekend and will be used for F1 hospitality.
ON THE AIR
12:55 a.m. Formula One: Las Vegas Grand Prix ESPN 10:30 a.m. Myrtle Beach Invitational, fifth-place game, TBA, from Conway, S.C. ESPNU
Noon Baha Mar Bahamas Hoops Championship, consolation game, TBA CBSSPORTS
1 p.m. Empire Classic: Connecticut vs. Indiana, first semifinal ESPN
1 p.m. Hall of Fame Tipoff, championship game, TBA ESPN2
2:30 p.m. Baha Mar Bahamas Hoops Championship, championship game, TBA CBSSPORTS 3 p.m. Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic, fifthplace game, TBA ESPN2 3:30 p.m. Empire Classic: Texas vs. Louisville, second semifinal ESPN
3:30 p.m. Hall of Fame Tipoff, consolation game, TBA ESPNU
4 p.m. Emerald Coast Classic: Western Michigan at Ohio State, first round BIG10
4:30 p.m. American at Georgetown FS2
4:30 p.m. Arizona Tipoff, Cactus Division, thirdplace game, TBA CBSSPORTS
5:30 p.m. Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic, consolation game, TBA ESPN
5:30 p.m. Myrtle Beach Invitational, championship game, TBA, from Conway, S.C. ESPN2
6 p.m. Alcorn State at Michigan State BIG10 6 p.m. Texas-Arlington at Arizona PAC12
7 p.m. Arizona Tipoff, Cactus Division, championship, TBA CBSSPORTS 8 p.m. Brown at USC PAC12
8 p.m. Myrtle Beach Invitational, third-place game, TBA, from Conway, S.C. ESPN2
8 p.m. Southern at Illinois BIG10
8:30 p.m. Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic, championship, TBA ESPN 10 p.m. Continental Tire Main Event, championship, from Las Vegas
Noon Syracuse at Maryland BIG10
2 p.m. Creighton at Nebraska BIG10
2 p.m. Oklahoma at Virginia ACC
3 p.m. Duke at Stanford ABC
4 p.m. Bucknell at Louisville ACC
5 p.m. Connecticut at Minnesota FS1
7 p.m. Drake at Iowa FS1 1:30 p.m. NCAA Tournament, championship, TBA ESPNU
Noon Syracuse at Georgia Tech ACC
2 p.m. Tennessee at Texas A&M SEC
2 p.m. Washington State at Utah PAC12
4 p.m. Florida at Arkansas SEC
8:30 p.m. MEAC Championship, TBA ESPNU 1:30 a.m. DP World Tour Champions, final round, from Dubai, UAE GOLF 1 p.m. PGA Tour: RSM Classic, final round, from Sea Island, Ga. GOLF 1 p.m. LPGA Tour: CME Group Tour Championship, final round, from Naples NBC
Noon America’s Day at the Races FS2 8 p.m. Suns at Jazz NBA 1 p.m. Raiders at Dolphins CBS
4 p.m. Buccaneers at 49ers FOX
4:25 p.m. Jets at Bills CBS 8:15 p.m. Vikings at Broncos NBC 8 a.m. Maple Leafs vs. Wild, from Stockholm, Sweden NHL
6 p.m. Golden Knights at Penguins NHL 8:50 a.m. UEFA Euro Qualifying: Hungary vs. Montenegro, Group G FS1 11:50 a.m. UEFA Euro Qualifying: Belgium vs. Azerbaijan, Group F FS1 2:30 p.m. UEFA Euro Qualifying: Scotland vs. Norway, Group A FS1
6:30 p.m. UEFA Euro Qualifying: Netherlands vs. Ireland, Group B FS2