F1 knew it couldn’t lean on quite the same intrigue for its second visit to Las Vegas. It also couldn’t realistically expect to repeat the money-spinning success of year one, which generated $1.5 billion dollars for the local economy and $77 million in tax revenue, outstripping all expectations.

This was the third-largest percentage drop in viewership YoY this season after Brazil (41.6 per cent) and Saudi Arabia (39.6 per cent). It also means three of Formula One’s last six races have dropped below an average of one million viewers, after exceeding the figure for nine straight races.

Las Vegas held two championship races in 1981 and 1982, both title-deciding season-enders going under the name of the Caesars Palace Grand Prix, before the Nevada city returned to the calendar last year.