LAS VEGAS — Formula One’s second running of the Las Vegas Grand Prix would always be an essential test of the race’s popularity.
In 2023, when F1 first raced down the Strip and poured over $1.5 billion dollars into making the race happen, there was an inevitable novelty factor. An appeal to saying ‘I was there!’ for the first Las Vegas GP matched the curiosity over how a race through the middle of one the entertainment capitals of the world might play out. It bred a natural fear of missing out.
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 half a billion dollars for the local economy and $77 million in tax revenue, outstripping all expectations.
But in return, it got a playbook crammed with knowledge of what did and did not work in the first year. Criticism from the drivers and teams over the scheduling and the demands placed on them to buy into the ‘spectacle’ of the Las Vegas GP could be dealt with, as could the complaints from fans who felt priced out by a premium approach to ticket sales.
It resulted in a more toned-down affair for year two. Some of the popular parts of the 2023 race returned, ranging from Michael Buffer’s over-the-top driver introductions to maximizing the use of the Sphere with F1-themed graphics. But it also knew what to cut back and to change. The extravagant opening ceremony that drew criticism from some of the drivers — the most vocal being the reigning champion, Max Verstappen — for being too cheesy was scrapped and replaced with a simpler yet still spectacular pre-race show for the fans.
“I feel like last year, F1, if anything, was trying a bit too hard to put on too much of a show,” said Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, who finished the race in third place. “It got a bit too much away from Formula One and too much into Vegas style.
“I feel like this year, we’ve just been just more normal, doing our own thing. And it’s been a success.”
George Russell leads the field into the first corner at the start of the race during the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas at Las Vegas Strip Circuit on November 23, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
If the thrilling end to the 2023 race taught F1 anything, it was that it did not need to overhype its product. Its greatest asset will always be what is happening on the race track. On a simple but fun and high-speed layout, the drivers could put on a show with an open fight for the win that went down to the closing stages.
This year’s race was again entertaining. George Russell scored a dominant win, and the race went by without significant incidents or even a safety car period, yet there was plenty of on-track action behind. The scrapping back-and-forth between Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz made for an enthralling race, with all four looking most likely to trail home Russell at points. The confidence the officials running the Las Vegas GP took from year one over the racing product, influenced by things like the track layout and the selected tire compounds, was fully justified.
The focus on racing was something the drivers appreciated for 2024. There were fewer off-track distractions and asks of them, making it feel like a far more ‘normal’ race weekend than Las Vegas did last year. There felt like less of a concerted effort to highlight the unique parts of the grand prix, instead letting them speak for themselves. A case of show, don’t tell.
That’s not to say there wasn’t a very Vegas flavor about proceedings. Wandering through the paddock on Saturday night ahead of the race, you could still find an Elvis impersonator every few hundred yards, and the novelty ‘Welcome to Las Vegas’ signs were still dotted around. The reasoning for putting an ice rink on top of Paddock Club, where the VIPs would spend the race, was simply ‘because it’s Vegas!’ — if any race could do it, it was this one. Although the paddock wedding chapel was no more, guests could still tie the knot in Paddock Club if they wished.
And there was still the undeniable impressive fact that F1 was back racing in Las Vegas. At no other event would Russell have run out of his hospitality unit yelling “Vegas baby!” following his victory, calling on his Mercedes team to cancel plans to fly out to Los Angeles after the race. Working and racing in the heart of such an iconic city is a novelty that won’t wear off soon.
That is why year two in Las Vegas felt like a success. Not only was the sport able to speak for itself, but so was Las Vegas. As Sainz noted, there wasn’t a case of trying too hard. “The race is absolutely fantastic,” said Hamilton. “It’s such a great event. They’ve really, really done a mega job this year. So I can’t wait to come back next year.”
Fans attend a trackside concert at the Elara by Hilton Grand Vacations Club ahead of the Las Vegas Formula 1 Grand Prix on November 20, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
It was always part of the plan from the Las Vegas GP bosses, particularly CEO Renee Wilm and chief commercial officer Emily Prazer. In the months leading up to the race, both highlighted a desire to focus more on community and the additive nature of F1 for those living and working in Las Vegas and Clark County. Efforts such as bringing hundreds of middle school children into the paddock on Wednesday for a community day or the free fan festival reflected the shift in approach.
F1 also wanted to make the Las Vegas GP more accessible by increasing the number of general admission tickets that were made available. F1 reported a three-day attendance from Thursday to Saturday of 306,000 people, which is down from the 315,000 reported last year, although that figure did include the Wednesday opening ceremony.
Many grandstands were noticeably bare through the practice sessions, probably due to their relatively low importance and the bevy of alternative options for those in Las Vegas to stay entertained. Come the race, though, this had changed, and few free seats were visible when looking up from the grid ahead of lights out.
F1 clearly loves Vegas, but does Vegas love F1 back? A lot of it depends on who you talk to. While there was widespread agreement from locals that F1 had reduced the level of disruption this year, some remain frustrated about the impact the running of the grand prix has on their day-to-day lives and work. Speaking with Uber drivers or some small business owners, not everyone is enamored with having F1 in town every November, even if those in charge of the race felt there had been a big improvement in public sentiment.
Pedestrians walk across the race track ahead of the Las Vegas Formula 1 Grand Prix on November 20, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
But there was clear evidence of Las Vegas learning where it could improve from year one to year two. From larger aspects, like an improved communication plan with local stakeholders on works required to get the track ready, to more minor things, like offering more for those in the paddock to do, eat, and drink, it felt like a more mature grand prix.
Like last year, some drivers and teams remained concerned about the race scheduling. The 10 p.m. PT start time aligns with primetime events in Las Vegas, but it still makes for a challenging weekend of knowing when to sleep or eat. Russell admitted he took a 45-minute nap ahead of qualifying because of how long the day dragged. This year felt a little easier as both FP2 and qualifying were also slated for 10 p.m. PT instead of midnight, but it remains difficult for everyone working on that time.
The other challenge is where Las Vegas sits on the calendar, kicking off a triple-header to end the season with Qatar and Abu Dhabi. A regular point of paddock small talk was asking people how they were navigating the journey from Las Vegas to the Middle East and whether it would entail any time at home. It was bad enough having Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi on consecutive weekends last year, leading to many getting sick. Throwing Qatar in there as well only makes things more challenging.
“(Holding the race) a couple of hours earlier, and not a back-to-back with Qatar, that’s what I would ask everyone as the next step,” said Sainz. “For the rest, (it’s a) great circuit to put on a good race, great for overtaking, challenging track. I wouldn’t change anything, just those two details. And I think everything will be better.”
F1 can take heart from its second running of the Las Vegas GP. Unlike year one, all went by smoothly on the track, and the added confidence and calmness about proceedings were evident.
But importantly, the Las Vegas GP did not lose the elements that made it special. For year three, there’ll be excitement about going back to Sin City throughout the paddock without some of the trepidation some felt going back this past week, as well as a confidence that when feedback is given, improvements will be made.
F1 learned this year that it did not need to double down on its own hype to make the Las Vegas GP special. All it had to do was do what it does best: go racing.
Top photo: Clive Mason/Getty Images
