If you haven’t been paying close attention, you might not know that this is Grand Prix week in Las Vegas. Last November’s race was one of the city’s biggest events and this year’s will be, too, but it doesn’t have anywhere near the buzz of F1 No. 1. Prices for rooms and tickets are down and so is the enthusiasm, but the effects linger. Part of the race’s course runs from the Venetian to Aria, so that section of the Strip, as well as the streets in the vicinity to the east, will be blocked off. If you’re not paying the (still high) fees for a seat in the grandstands along the course, there’s no reliable way to catch a glimpse of the race, as the pedestrian bridges over the Strip along the race route have been outfitted with view-obstructing coverings. Recommendation: Watch it on TV.

Virgin strike: The Culinary Union is expected to stage a walkout at Virgin Las Vegas this week in an attempt to use the F1 weekend as leverage. It’s the second strike at Virgin in six months; the first in May took place only over one weekend. Threatened is a work stoppage and round-the-clock picket lines unless contract negotiations, a several-months holdover from the rest of the city’s casinos, are resolved.

Book the loop: The Bureau of Land Management has resurrected the reservation system for entering Red Rock Canyon in a vehicle. The requirement was initially imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the Canyon was overrun with visitors, and is back in effect now through May 5. Reservations can be made to cruise the scenic drive at recreation.gov.

Question: What’s the status of the huge football contest at Circa?

Answer: The Circa Survivor contest that started with more than 14,000 players has been whittled to 105. The prize is $14.3 million in the winner-take-all contest, which means the mathematical value of each of the remaining $1,000-per entries is now $135,866.

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