Lewis Hamilton F1 Las Vegas GP must not become a “circus that causes trouble for residents”[F1-Gate.com]

Lewis Hamilton has said there is no way local residents in Las Vegas will be negatively affected by the upcoming F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, insisting the sport should not become a “circus”. F1 will hold its first Grand Prix in Las Vegas this weekend in more than 40 years. The stage is a brand new street circuit where you can race at speeds of over 200km/h around the world-famous strip.

But the disruption caused by construction of the track, including a $500 million pit facility, has sparked opposition from some local residents. Tourists and taxi drivers have voiced frustration over traffic delays caused by road closures, and seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton says the sport continues to be “respectful” to locals. I think it has to be. “We’ve heard a lot of complaints from local residents about holding events here,” Hamilton told Sky Sports News. “I think you have to respect the local people. A lot of people work hard. There’s a lot of money and wealth in this city. “We have to make sure people are taken care of. We must not turn into a circus that only shows flashy and glamorous things and has a negative impact on people.”Las Vegas will be the third F1 race in the United States this season, following Miami in May and Austin last month. to hold. Hamilton admits it has been “amazing” to see F1’s growth since its debut in 2007 and that there was a time when he had to “educate” Americans about the sport. “I’ve been in F1 for 16 years and I’m really impressed with the growth of the sport,” added Hamilton. “I first came to America for the Grand Prix in Indianapolis in 2007, but over the years I’ve had to teach people what this sport is all about,” he said. “How many sports fans there are here. “I didn’t understand why they weren’t drawn to the sport, the way we grew up and lived with it.” It’s amazing to see how much people seem to love the sport as much as I do.” Hamilton attended a sponsored event at Speed ​​City, just outside Las Vegas, on Tuesday night, driving his Mercedes. AMG announced that it has collaborated with IWC to unveil its new road car, the AMG GT Coupe.