Once billed as F1's ultimate spectacle, the Las Vegas Grand Prix now finds itself battling fan apathy, soaring prices and a manufactured feel that's proving hard to shake
It’s the Las Vegas Grand Prix this weekend and, as someone who attended the event in 2023, I can’t help but feel rather uninspired by the whole weekend spectacle. Sure, the idea of racing in one of the world’s most well-known cities is a great opportunity for Formula 1, and we’ve had some decent racing there over the last two seasons, but this year it seems like some of that Las Vegas charm has worn off.
For many, Las Vegas was a dream destination for a race. Daniel Ricciardo said he would love a race in Sin City, and that he got it when it returned to the schedule back in 2023 (following a disastrous early ’80s attempt).
The idea makes perfect sense for F1 as a business. Another race in the United States? Check. Sport meets entertainment in one blockbuster weekend? Check. A chance for Liberty Media – F1’s owner – to be the promoter for the race? Check.
However, with drivers openly criticising the layout like Oliver Bearman calling it “the least enjoyable street circuit I’ve driven”, grandstands still looking rather empty, and yet more issues with those pesky drain covers, what is the future for the Las Vegas Grand Prix?
Las Vegas initially had a three-year slot on the F1 calendar, meaning this could be its last outing on the schedule, although there is believed to be a 10-year extension option. This option is expected to be taken up, given the championship’s substantial financial commitment to the event. F1 is not only the race organiser but has also invested hundreds of millions in land purchases and infrastructure, including the ‘Grand Prix Plaza’. The 39-acre multi-use complex houses the Pit Building, a karting centre, exhibition areas and private spaces used year-round, with the site alone costing an estimated $240 million.
Las Vegas is out of a contract after this year
Grand Prix Photo
This is clearly not just a short-term venture for Formula 1, it’s a guinea pig event that could set the blueprints for future races organised and managed by Liberty Media.
So, with so much money being thrown at a race in the centre of the world’s biggest resort city, why are a large portion of fans just not engaging with it?
There’s certainly a whole host of things to do when on site. Most teams have partnerships with local hotels, putting on unique activations across the race weekend for the fans, with no shortage of restaurants, bars, casinos and performances to keep you busy whilst not at the circuit. There are also all the iconic landmarks, and although getting around the city is a little more complex due to all the road closures, it’s certainly walkable for most. There’s also a mix of accommodation for all budgets in Vegas, whether you want to stay in the heart of the action or keep your distance on the outskirts.
Despite that, tickets don’t appear to be in demand. I am subscribed to the circuit’s mailing list, and I have never been so inundated with offers, promotions, and frantic pleading to come to a grand prix. Rumours suggested that free tickets were being handed out as recently as yesterday to fill grandstands for the free practice sessions.
Does Vegas need a little more bite and a little less bark?
Grand Prix Photo
Ticket prices are still widely considered too expensive, and so far most visible trackside activity has come from the Paddock Club. It has become an influencer hot spot and, while much of the content posted from there comes from hard-working and passionate creators, it does not necessarily reflect the experience of fans sitting in the grandstands in freezing conditions.
I can’t be too critical, though, as that was literally me two years ago. Invited out to Las Vegas, accommodation paid for, swanning around the city, going from event to event. It was a wonderful experience.
Not only did I get to see Formula 1 cars up close and personal – and who doesn’t want that? – but I was able to get my first taste of a city that never sleeps in the heart of the Nevada desert. Sure, there was a lot of waiting around, like when the infamous drain cover shot up and smashed the floor of Carlos Sainz‘s Ferrari to pieces, but you couldn’t criticise the way the place embraced all things motor sport.
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From show cars, to racing-themed drinks, there truly was something for everyone. However, there was also an empty feeling that started to disperse as time went on: the event didn’t feel authentic. The whole set-up felt like one big pop-up shop that would be folded back down and forgotten about until next year. There was no history; it felt artificial and invented, like another residency in this ever-moving town.
The previous Vegas event at Caesers Palace was nothing more than a badly designed circuit in a casino car park, and it goes down as one of the worst in the championship’s history, but is this race any better?
Perhaps this feeling, paired with expensive ticket prices to sit in grandstands wrapped up in three layers of thermals, a fast but uninspiring track layout and initial resistance from the local community, means this race really isn’t the big pull it apsires to be.
Sure, they can get big artists to perform over the weekend, or host it late in the season with the hopes that a championship will be decided, like Max Verstappen last year and F1 Academy this weekend. Organisers could even look at making it a Sprint weekend to get more eyeballs on the track. But the fact remains that although off-track Las Vegas is offering more entertainment than Formula 1 fans know what to do with, it feels like the event’s luck has almost run out.
