Las Vegas Grand Prix: Finding the Right Rhythm
Opinions may still be divided, but following a disrupted, over-the-top start in 2023, Formula 1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix is slowly but surely hitting the right notes.
F1 has yet to provide official attendance figures beyond labelling the race as being “sold out”.It is not clear if that means the event is up from last year’s figure of 306,000, which was a decline from 315,000 in year one.But it has shifted some of it’s ticket offerings to more palatable options to appeal to a wider part of F1’s diverse fanbase, with less of an exclusive reliance on high rollers who feel they have already ticked that box once.
Opinions are still split among the local residents, from Uber drivers to bartenders we struck up conversations with, with some still deploring the – admittedly reduced – disruption the event is causing, while others are accepting the inconvenience for the greater economic good of the event for the city.
F1 has transformed one of the quietest weekends of the year, before Thanksgiving, into a marquee date. It still comes at a price for the F1 community itself, which is now dragging itself from Las Vegas to Doha, usually via a 15-hour economy flight from Los Angeles, followed by a third-straight weekend plus post-season test in Abu Dhabi.
There seems to be a direct correlation between people’s place in F1’s food chain and just how glowing their opinion of Las Vegas has been. Team principals and commercial chiefs are in dreamland with the B2B potential the event offers as F1 keeps hitting unprecedented levels of popularity.
Meanwhile, mechanics are groaning over the prospect of a long journey and time zone shift as part of a triple-header which finishes a couple of weeks before Christmas in Abu Dhabi. That’s onyl seven weeks before the first 2026 shakedown in barcelona, by the way.
Those two trains of thought aren’t mutually exclusive. One can recognise Las Vegas is objectively a net win for F1, because it absolutely is. But a more palatable middle ground might be for the event to be twinned with Brazil, while giving mechanics, set-up and hospitality staff an chance to recover ahead of a more logical Qatar/Abu Dhabi double-header.
F1’s paddock community is being supported by several drivers, who saw first-hand how worn out their crew was by the time they had dragged themselves to Abu Dhabi the past two years.
“The place in the calendar, if I’m totally honest, is difficult for us,” two-time world champion Fernando Alonso said, who also felt the circuit’s lack of grip in the November chill is borderline unacceptable by F1 standards. “To come here with the time difference and how far it is indeed from Europe,and Brazil two weeks ago. And we go to Qatar now and it’s 17 hours by plane and an [11]-hour time difference.”
F1 Teams Voice Concerns Over Grueling Race Calendar, Especially Las vegas Triple-Header
Formula 1’s demanding 24-race calendar continues to draw criticism, with the final triple-header of Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi being a particular point of contention. Several figures within the sport have expressed concerns about the strain placed on teams and personnel.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali acknowledges the issue, suggesting a back-to-back arrangement with Brazil would be preferable to avoid extensive travel. “I couldn’t agree more that a triple-header of Vegas, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, I don’t think that’s any good to anyone,” he stated.
Drivers like Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz are vocal advocates for their mechanics, highlighting the immense workload. While recognizing the complexities of organizing events like the Las Vegas Grand Prix – which significantly impacts the city – they emphasize the need for a more manageable schedule. Sainz believes Domenicali is actively working on improvements, with “good steps” planned for next year’s calendar.
Despite the complaints,F1 management is aware and committed to refining the schedule,having already moved the Canadian Grand Prix for the upcoming season. However, a solution for the Las Vegas situation won’t materialize until 2026, as it remains part of the final triple-header.
mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, despite a busy Vegas schedule, argues the benefits of the event outweigh the downsides. “Maybe from a team’s viewpoint…it’s a gruelling few weeks, but the most crucial [thing] is that the product is good, and this is the best weekend we can have in Las Vegas,” he said. He acknowledges the challenges but encourages embracing the current format.
Even Sauber (soon to be Audi) team boss Jonathan Wheatley lightheartedly admitted to struggling with the schedule, joking about needing help finding a good sleeping pattern in Las Vegas.
The Paddock at dusk prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas
Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff believes Formula 1 needs to review its calendar after a demanding triple-header. He highlighted the challenges of back-to-back races in Brazil, las Vegas, and Abu Dhabi.
“I stood on the grid today looking at that pit building complex, looking at where we are, looking at racing in Las Vegas – it’s an extraordinary set-up,” Wolff said. “Obviously, it works for Las Vegas to hold it at this time of the year.”
He acknowledged the physical and mental strain on everyone involved. “It’s a pretty brutal triple-header,isn’t it? Formula 1 has always been a test on not just the drivers,but everyone involved in the sport.”
Wolff believes F1 is capable of adapting.”We learn and we seem to adapt, and Liberty [Media] is very open. Stefano [Domenicali] is very open to discussing a slightly different approach if it’s required.”
Adjusting the schedule isn’t simple.Wolff explained that moving the Las Vegas race requires collaboration with the city, casinos, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors authority, and Clarke County, due to commercial agreements. Simply shifting the date isn’t within Formula One Management’s (FOM) control.
Moving the event forward could also create conflicts with other races, like the United States Grand Prix in Austin.
Despite a flashy start, the Las Vegas grand Prix appears to have settled into a more mature and well-received event.