Mercedes will be banking on Lewis Hamilton this weekend as he attempts to seize second spot in the F1 standings from Sergio Perez but Toto Wolff appears to have already cashed out ahead of the Las Vegas GP
In anticipation of the Las Vegas Grand Prix this weekend, Toto Wolff has imposed a betting ban on Mercedes for the entire team.
For the penultimate race of the 2023 season, Formula One travels to Nevada. The race is being held on the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, and it is the first time the sport will be held in the city.
This season’s winnings have already been cashed out to Dutchman Max Verstappen. Nevertheless, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff will hope that Lewis Hamilton still has an ace to play as he attempts to overtake Red Bull ’s Sergio Perez in the driver’s standings.
He had a challenging weekend in Sao Paulo before this weekend’s race. At the AutĂłdromo JosĂ© Carlos Pace, Hamilton could only manage an eighth-place finish, more than a minute behind winning driver Verstappen.
Wolff is making sure there are no more distractions in Sin City this weekend by forbidding anyone from playing roulette, even though he will be closely monitoring the track. He stated, “I think everyone is looking forward to the Las Vegas race,” in an interview with Motorsport.com Spain.
“Racing in this city is comparable to climbing Everest, hats off to Liberty Media for organising this race. I don’t think I’m the only one in Formula One who has never been to this city, which is quite difficult to get around.
Speaking about the chance of any betting, he added: “As I said, I’ve never been to Las Vegas, but we’ll do our best to make sure everyone in the team stays away from the casinos – I don’t gamble and I’ll make sure no one else gambles either!”
Despite Wolff looking forward to this weekend’s forthcoming race, it appears that not all are on board. Verstappen has already shared his thoughts on the trip to the USA and is less than convinced.
First of all, I think we are there more for the show than the racing itself if you look at the layout of the track,” he said, via Planet F1. “But you know, I’m actually not that into it. I’m more like, I’ll go there and do my thing and be gone again.”
Following this weekend’s race in Las Vegas, F1 then moves into the final race of the season at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. There remains 32 points between Hamilton and Perez, who is currently occupying the runners-up spot.
Meanwhile, Mercedes are also aiming to hold onto second in the Constructor’s Standings. They currently hold a 20-point lead over Ferrari.