The drivers’ view of Vegas! New Formula 1 safety car video shows what Lewis Hamilton and Co will see on the all-new track

• Formula 1 returns to Las Vegas for the first time in 41 years this weekend
• Drivers will weave between iconic hotels and the bright lights of Sin City
• DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news

Stunning on-board footage shows the view Formula 1 drivers will enjoy as they race around the new Las Vegas track.

The sport returns to Vegas this weekend for the first time in 41 years, with organizers spending $410 million to create a spectacle unlike any other in the desert.

On Thursday, Formula 1 released footage from onboard cameras aboard the safety car as it raced around the 3.8-mile track that takes drivers around the famous Sin City Strip.

The film shows how drivers will pass under lights illuminating the names of some of Vegas’ most iconic hotels, including The Mirage.

The video also features footage of the sky above Sin City, showing how Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and Co will sneak into the city in the desert.

They’ll pass the Bellagio and the Flamingo on their way down Las Vegas Boulevard before turning left and eventually bypassing the state-of-the-art Sphere.

Race week began in earnest on Wednesday with a glitzy Superbowl-style opening ceremony, which saw John Legend and Kylie Minogue among a number of high-profile artists perform in a dazzling 30-minute spectacle.

The penultimate round of the season is billed as the biggest spectacle on earth, but world champion Verstappen came out on top at the event.

“It’s 99 percent spectacle and 1 percent sporting event,” the 26-year-old said. “I was just up there looking like a clown.

“I guess they (F1) always make money whether I like it or not. So it’s not up to me. But I’m not going to pretend. I express my opinion on the positive things and negative things.

“That’s exactly how I am. And you know, some people like the show a little more. I do not like it at all.

“I grew up just looking at the performance side of things. And that’s also how I see it. I like being in Vegas, but not so much for the racing.

The Dutchman was criticized by rival Hamilton, who said: “I’ve heard that a lot of people are complaining about the direction that (F1 CEO) Stefano (Domenicali) and Liberty are taking. But they do an incredible job.

“The sport continues to grow. It’s a business and you will always see great racing here. This is a country to explore and truly captivate audiences.