Cold weather at Las Vegas Grand Prix challenges F1 drivers, cars

F1 drivers are preparing for chilly weather at Saturday's Las Vegas Grand Prix. Fox News' Sunny Tsai reports.

LAS VEGAS – The inaugural Formula One race in Las Vegas will be one of the chilliest F1 competitions ever, and it means a steep learning curve for drivers and teams.

It is going to be cold in the desert once the sun goes down for the $500 million Las Vegas Grand Prix, the first F1 night race in the U.S.

"I think this is probably the coldest race we’ve done in a long, long time. Normally, we’re in hotter climate," said Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 driver Lewis Hamilton.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix follows a lineup of warm cities, including Austin, Texas; Mexico City and São Paulo. Those races all took place in the day.

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Zhou Guanyu driving the Alfa Romeo F1 C43 Ferrari on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas at Las Vegas Strip Circuit on Nov. 17, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell race down the Speed Vegas circuit at an event hosted by AMG x IWC. (IWC)

"We have to race these cars pretty hot to get them into the right temperature window, and that temperature window is always very small. So example, we spend most of our races in around … 30 degrees [C]," said Williams Racing driver Alex Albon.

That is around the mid-80s Fahrenheit, but on Saturday, it could dip down into the 40s and low 50s.

Williams Racing's Alex Albon driving around a track. (Williams Racing)

That means adjustments for both the drivers and the mechanics.

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"The cars will need to be closed up. You can imagine the cars need blankets around them,