Lewis Hamilton is BANNED from entering Las Vegas’ famous casinos at this weekend’s Grand Prix, as his boss Toto Wolff warns team: ‘I’ll make sure you aren’t gambling!’ 

• Lewis Hamilton will hope to keep the pressure on Sergio Perez this weekend 
• The British star and Mercedes have been banned from betting in Las Vegas 
• Team boss Toto Wolff said he will make sure no one gambles ahead of the race 

Lewis Hamilton and the rest of his Mercedes team have been banned from the casinos ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix – as the British star looks to secure second place from Sergio Perez.

Formula One will return to Sin City for the first time in 41 years this weekend for the penultimate race of the season, with Hamilton looking to improve after finishing eighth in the Brazilian Grand Prix last time out.

Max Verstappen has already won the world title, meaning Hamilton’s best case scenario this season is to finish behind him in second spot – which is currently occupied by his Red Bull team-mate Perez.

And as they look to finish the season on a high in Nevada, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has urged the team to stay focused and has banned them from gambling. 

‘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,’ he told MotorSport.com. ‘I don’t gamble and I’ll make sure no one else gambles either!’

Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton has been banned from gambling in Las Vegas by Toto Wolff (R)

Hamilton is hoping to finish the season by finishing in second place ahead of Sergio Perez 

Wolff admitted there would be difficulties navigating the city between their hotel and the circuit itself and believes the F1 community are heading to Vegas ‘more for the show than the racing’. 

‘I think everyone is looking forward to the Las Vegas race,’ he added.

‘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.

‘We don’t know how to get from the hotel to the circuit and back, but I’m sure we’ll find a solution. I’m looking forward to the race.’ 

‘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.’ 

There have been fears that thousands of tickets could remain empty ahead of the big race this weekend, after reports of about 10,000 unsold grandstand seats near the recently constructed Sphere and the circuit’s East Harmon Zone.

Wolf said he felt his Mercedes team were in Sin City ‘more for show than for racing’ 

Hamilton recently revealed he had stopped drinking in order to give himself an advantage on the track

That’s in line with a report from Road & Track – which revealed that hotel room prices have fallen by about a quarter in the past month to around $280 a night.

A Formula One spokesperson told MailSport that they expect to sell out the event and are planning for an attendance of about 100,000 people for each of the three days of the grand prix.

Hamilton’s gambling ban in Vegas comes after the seven-time world champion claimed he had stopped drinking in order to give himself an advantage during races.

The 38-year-old admitted that drinking alcohol had affected him, as he continues to perform at the top of his sport. 

‘​​I’ll suffer for several days—sometimes it’ll be like three or four days,’ Hamilton said.

‘I’ve always been looking for how do you get that extra one per cent? As an athlete, that’s what you are always doing. I don’t know if I’m going to drink again.

‘Since I’ve stopped drinking, I’ve just been feeling so much better, so much more clarity. I sleep better, I wake up in the morning and I can still get up at 5 am.’

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